William F. Leiphardt, Jr.

California Highway Patrol — Sacramento, CA

Felonious

End of Watch May 13, 1978

Age 39

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

Badge 4991

The Vigil Panel 120 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 232

Incident

Officer William Leiphardt and Officer Harold Horine were struck and killed by a drunk driver while investigating a previous accident. While they were standing on the shoulder the drunk driver, driving a tractor trailer, swerved off the road and struck the vehicle, pushing it into the two officers. The driver was charged with drunk driving and manslaughter and was sentenced to 26 weekends in jail. Officer Leiphardt had been with the agency for 12 years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-CC5243E4
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Leiphardt gave the California Highway Patrol 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Leiphardt.

— 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 May 13, 1978

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

Age 39

Badge Number 4991

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile; Alcohol involved

Offender Sentenced to 26 weekends in jail

Officer William F. Leiphardt, Jr. 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