Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Chester Larson drowned while attempting to rescue stranded hikers from Sespe Creek, near Sespe Hot Springs Camp, in Los Padres Nationa Forest.
He and 10 other victims, including a U.S. Navy Seabee and U.S. Forest Service ranger, were washed off of the top of a stranded rescue tractor. Only one of the victims was rescued.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-CD2468B9- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Chester. Claim this record.
Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Coast Guard. One record, 2 gates. Chester is one person.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Larson served with the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Ventura community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Larson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Chester Larson served in the U.S. Coast Guard (1953â1957) before joining law enforcement.
Deputy Sheriff Chester Larson is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In CA, 719 of 1,837 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.1% of this state's fallen. That is 39.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Ventura County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 13 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 23.1% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Chester Larson's cause is highlighted.
How Chester Larson Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Chester Larson is highlighted in Jan.
Incident Location
Military Service
Chester Larson served in the U.S. Coast Guard (1953–1957) before joining law enforcement.
Visit Chester Larson’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
12 officers from Ventura County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
