Roll of Honor

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Officer

Reuben Fred Rios Sr.

California Highway Patrol — Sacramento, CA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch October 26, 1996

Age 53

Tour of Duty 22 yrs

Badge 8592

The Vigil Panel 143 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 232

Incident

Officer Rueben Rios was struck and killed by a vehicle while he was conducting traffic control at the Glen Helen Parkway in San Bernardino. He was hit by a drunk driver who was leaving the concert. Officer Rios was thrown onto the hood and windshield and then ejected back onto the roadway. The 32-year-old driver was charged with drunk driving and second-degree degree murder. He had two prior drunk driving convictions, one involving an accident. He was found guilty of gross vehicular manslaughter. Officer Rios was a United States Army veteran and had served with the California Highway Patrol for 22 years. He was survived by his wife, two children, and three grandchildren. The day Officer Rios was killed, his son took the oral exam to enter the California Highway Patrol.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two children, and three grandchildren.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-F223A443
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. Army. One record, 2 gates. Reuben is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Officer Rios gave the California Highway Patrol 22 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— 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 October 26, 1996

Tour of Duty 22 yrs

Age 53

Badge Number 8592

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile

Military Service

Reuben Fred Rios Sr. served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer Reuben Fred Rios Sr. 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 97,759 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

of 233 officers

30.5% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious