William L. Reardon

California Highway Patrol — Sacramento, CA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch October 20, 1946

Age 52

Tour of Duty 30 yrs

The Vigil Panel 83 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 232

Incident

Officer William Reardon was struck and killed by a drunk driver while monitoring traffic. Officer Reardon was standing near his motorcycle on U.S. Highway 99 near Newhall when the incident occurred. Officer Reardon's wife was close-by and witnessed the accident. The car, which had no brakes, was being driven by a 23-year-old woman. She was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to one year in jail, fined $500.00, and given three years probation. Her boyfriend, a passenger, and owner of the car, was charged with public drunkenness after he interfered with officers at the scene. He was sentenced to six months in jail; the stiffest penalty ever given for public drunkenness. Officer Reardon was a United States Army WWI veteran who had served with the California Highway Patrol for 14 years and previously served with the Glendale Police Department and Los Angeles County Traffic Squad.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, three sons, and a daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-2A70F454
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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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 Reardon gave the California Highway Patrol 30 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

Location Sacramento, CA

Platform Identity chp.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 20, 1946

Tour of Duty 30 yrs

Age 52

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile; Alcohol involved

Offender Sentenced to 1 year

Military Service

William L. Reardon served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Officer William L. Reardon is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 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 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

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

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious