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Ralph D. Percival
Agency patch
Officer

Ralph D. Percival

California Highway Patrol — Sacramento, CA
Veteran → Felonious
United States flag California flag
End of Watch June 3, 1974
Age 44
Tour of Duty 16 yrs
Badge 2402
The Vigil Panel 113 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 232

Incident

Officer Ralph Percival was struck and killed by a drunk driver while on a traffic stop on Highway 280 near Farm Hill Boulevard in Redwood City at 5 pm. He had completed writing the citation and was returning to his motorcycle when he was struck. The 47-year-old subject was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to one year in prison. Officer Percival had been with the California Highway Patrol for 16 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-7CD1A861
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Ralph is one person.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Percival gave the California Highway Patrol 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Percival.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department California Highway Patrol
Type Highway Patrol
Location Sacramento, CA
Platform Identity chp.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 3, 1974
Tour of Duty 16 yrs
Age 44
Badge Number 2402
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Automobile

Military Service

Ralph D. Percival served in the U.S. Navy (1951) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer Ralph D. Percival is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At California Highway Patrol, 71 of 233 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 30.5% of this agency's fallen.

California Highway Patrol
71
of 233 officers
30.5% Felonious
CA — Statewide
974
of 1,837 officers
53% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ralph D. Percival's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Ralph D. Percival Compares

Age at Death
44
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
16
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ralph D. Percival is highlighted in Jun.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Ralph D. Percival was killed by automobile.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location

Military Service

Ralph D. Percival served in the U.S. Navy (1951) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Ralph D. Percival’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.