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Roy Allan Chester
Deputy Sheriff

Roy Allan Chester

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department — Monterey Park, CA
Accident
United States flag California flag
End of Watch October 24, 1988
Age 41
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
The Vigil Panel 133 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 119

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Roy Chester was killed in a helicopter accident while working on a multi-agency narcotics task force along the United States border. A suspicious vehicle was spotted in a canyon on a remote access road in the Mountain Springs Grade area. The UH-1H helicopter began to descend when its rotor blades struck power lines and caused it to crash in the foothills of the Laguna Mountains. Also killed in the accident were Investigator Michael Davis of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, Deputy Sheriff James McSweeney of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Sergeant Richard Romero of the Imperial County Sheriff's Department, Deputy Mark Tonkin of the Orange County Sheriff's Department, and the three California National Guard crew members operating the flight. Deputy Chester had served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for 12 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Chester gave the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Chester.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Type Other
Location Monterey Park, Los Angeles County, CA
Platform Identity lacso.losangeles.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 24, 1988
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Age 41
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Roy is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1988, 80 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 27th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Roy was 41. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Roy had served 12 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

October holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Mondays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Roy among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Deputy Sheriff Roy Allan Chester

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department · End of Watch October 24, 1988

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 45-E

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