April 12, 1958 - September 21, 2003
On 09-21-2003 at approximately 12:30pm, Corporal Tyler Matthew Pinchot of the Buena Park Police Department passed away as a result of traumatic injuries suffered during an on-duty traffic collision.
The traffic collision occurred on June 13, 2003 at approximately 3:30pm. On that date, Corporal Pinchot was working a traffic enforcement detail on a police motorcycle in the 6800 block of Orangethorpe Avenue, Buena Park.
Corporal Pinchot was traveling eastbound on Orangethorpe as he attempted to catch up to a traffic violator. As he was doing so, a Nissan Maxima sedan (which was traveling faster than Corporal Pinchot’s motorcycle) accidentally struck the motorcycle from behind throwing Corporal Pinchot from the motorcycle. Corporal Pinchot sustained major head injuries as well as substantial other injuries.
Corporal Pinchot was airlifted to UCI Medical Center in Orange, and he remained at that hospital until his death.
The California Highway Patrol investigated the accident. No citations were issued and no arrests were made. Click here for more information.
April 22, 1927 - September 21, 1972
On 09-21-1972, Buena Park Detective Darrel "Bud" Cate was conducting an investigation in the City of Anaheim. Detective Cate accompanied a male subject into a residence. The man armed himself with a revolver and shot Detective Cate two times, once in the chest and once in the head.
Hours later, Detective Cate succumbed to his injuries. Detective Cate was survived by his wife and five children.
After an intense, six-day manhunt, the suspect was arrested. He was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to three 10-year jail terms for the murder and other crimes.
In 1981, Buena Park City Council passed two resolutions: one for a memorial tree to be planted in honor of Detective Cate at the Buena Park Library. The other resolution named a street in Buena Park "Cate Drive." Click here for more information.
March 21, 1971 - August 16, 1997
On 08-14-1997, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Shayne York was off duty and unarmed at the De’Cut Hair Salon in Buena Park when two armed suspects entered. The suspects proceeded to rob the salon and its patrons. Along with the others, Deputy York was ordered to lie facedown on the floor. The suspects went through Deputy York’s wallet and discovered his Sheriff’s badge. Once they found out York was a Deputy Sheriff, one of the gunmen shot him in the back of the head.
On 08-16-1997, Deputy York succumbed to his injuries.
Both suspects were subsequently arrested and brought to trial for the murder of Deputy York. One of the suspects was sentenced to life in prison; the second suspect was sentenced to death row. Click here for more information.