Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Ray Mills was assisting another officer who had stopped a car on Northbound Highway 101 just north of Fortuna when he was struck and fatally injured by a drunk driver. After hitting Officer Mills, the drunk driver continued without stopping. Additional officers pursued the drunk driver until he was arrested about one mile north of the scene. Officer Mills was transported to Redwood Memorial Hospital where he died at approximately 3:37 a.m. The 22-year-old driver was charged with drunk driving, hit-and-run, and manslaughter. A year later a jury convicted him only of misdemeanor manslaughter. Officer Mills had served with the Fortuna Police Department for just over a year and a half.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-7E8BCE7D- 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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Tributes
You barely got started.
Officer Mills gave the Fortuna Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Fortuna community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Mills.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer Ray Q. Mills 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ray Q. Mills's cause is highlighted.
How Ray Q. Mills Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ray Q. Mills is highlighted in Mar.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Ray Q. Mills was killed by automobile.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
0 officers from Fortuna Police Department are honored on badge.nw.