Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer John LaMar succumbed to injuries received when he was struck by a vehicle on U.S. Route 99 north of Berkshire Road in Bakersfield on November 23, 1954, at 7 pm. Officer LaMar was inspecting a disabled vehicle that was being hooked to a tow truck. Despite flares on the roadway to warn drivers, a speeding vehicle crashed into the stalled car and hit Officer LaMar. He was transported to the San Joaquin Hospital, where he passed away 17 days later. The driver was initially charged with manslaughter. He died in a plane crash a couple of years later. Officer LaMar was a United States Navy WWII veteran who had served with the California Highway Patrol for only two months and previously served with the Tulare Police Department.
Survivors
He was survived by his expectant wife, two sons, four brothers, and three sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-5F8E9707- 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.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew John. Claim this record.
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
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 LaMar gave the California Highway Patrol 5 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
John Calvin LaMar served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Officer John Calvin LaMar is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 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 8.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
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.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Calvin LaMar's cause is highlighted.
How John Calvin LaMar Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. John Calvin LaMar is highlighted in Dec.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
232 officers from California Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
