Noreen Allison Vargas
Agency patch
Officer

Noreen Allison Vargas

California Highway Patrol — Sacramento, CA
Accident
End of Watch November 8, 1996
Age 37
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
Badge 12532
The Vigil Panel 318 ›
Gender Female

Incident

Officer Noreen Vargas was killed when a tire from a tractor-trailer struck her vehicle. Officer Vargas was traveling eastbound on Interstate 10 just west of Vincent Ave, in the city of West Covina, en route to follow up on a felony case. The rear tires of the tractor-trailer dislodged from the truck's axle and flew across multiple lanes of traffic, and struck her vehicle, which was traveling in the opposite direction. The force of the impact crushed the roof of her vehicle, and Officer Vargas was killed instantly. She is the first female officer of the California Highway Patrol to be killed in the line of duty. Officer Vargas had served with the California Highway Patrol for eight years.

Survivors

She is survived by her 14-year-old daughter, parents, two brothers, and twin sister.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
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.
Officer Vargas gave the California Highway Patrol 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Vargas.

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

Agency

Type Highway Patrol
Location Sacramento, CA
Platform Identity chp.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 8, 1996
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
Age 37
Badge Number 12532
Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

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

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1996, 49 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 98th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Noreen was 37. 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. Noreen had served 8 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

November holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Fridays: 15.1%.

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

Her people

California Highway Patrol has at least 120 officers remembered here, Noreen among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer Noreen Allison Vargas

California Highway Patrol · End of Watch November 8, 1996

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 28-E

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