Richard L. Simpson

California Highway Patrol — Sacramento, CA

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch September 25, 1946

Age 29

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 11 mo

The Vigil Panel 82 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 232

Incident

Officer Richard Simpson was killed in a motorcycle accident at the intersection of Main and Doris Streets in Porterville at 2:30 pm. Officer Simpson was en route to serve a warrant when he was notified of a severe accident nearby. As he traveled north on Main Street to the scene with his lights and sirens on, he was struck by a vehicle turning east. He succumbed to his injuries before arriving at the hospital. Officer Simpson was a United States WWII veteran who had just returned to the California Highway Patrol, serving for almost two years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, a daughter, two sons, parents, and a sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-199907C5
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 Richard. Claim this record.

Also honored at salute.nw. One record, 2 gates. Richard is one person.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

You barely got started.
Officer Simpson gave the California Highway Patrol 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Simpson.

— 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 September 25, 1946

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 11 mo

Age 29

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Richard L. Simpson served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer Richard L. Simpson 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 California Highway Patrol, 151 of 233 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 64.8% of this agency's fallen.

California Highway Patrol

151

of 233 officers

64.8% Accident

CA — Statewide

719

of 1,837 officers

39.1% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Accident