Kern County sheriff's deputy
was killed after his patrol vehicle rolled over Sunday
afternoon on Tupman Road, just north of the west Kern County town of
Tupman. Authorities are not sure
what caused the crash, and
California Highway Patrol investigative units from Bakersfield and
Fresno
were called to the scene to try to reconstruct the accident.
The deputy was traveling south on Tupman Road at about 4:30 p.m. to
assist another deputy, who was responding to the report of a fight
in Tupman. A deputy driving north on Tupman Road after the call
found the battered patrol vehicle in the southbound lane. The
accident smashed in half of the roof of the patrol car and ripped
off the emergency response lights. They dangled upside down, still
partly attached to
the car. A center lock box from the console of the car lay in the
opposite lane. The officer was dead at the scene. Garza did not know
whether the officer was wearing a seat belt, or whether he was
ejected from the car. Investigators are not aware of any witnesses
to the accident.
Daniel Lee Archuleta was born in Huntington Beach, California.
Deputy Archuleta was married and the father of two daughters, ages 5
and 3. Wife: Laura Children: Victoria 5 years old and Isabella 3
years old.
Deputy Archuleta attended Golden West
College where he received an AA on October 20, 1996. He received a
BA on May 28, 1999 from California State University Bakersfield.
Deputy Archuleta attended and graduated from the Los Angeles County
Sheriff’s Department academy from East Los Angeles College on
February 20, 2001.Deputy Archuleta graduated from the Los Angeles
Sheriff’s Department academy and was employed by the Los Angeles
County Sheriff’s Department in February of 2001.
Deputy Archuleta was hired by the Kern County Sheriff’s Department
on October 5, 2002 and assigned to the Support Services Bureau,
Training Division, Resource Pool. He was working in the Court
Services Division Temporarily. Deputy Archuleta transferred to the
Law Enforcement Bureau, South Area Substation Division, Taft Court
on November 2, 2002. On May 27, 2003, Deputy Archuleta entered the
Field Training Officer program. He remained assigned to the Taft
Substation.On October 4, 2003,
Deputy Sheriff I, Daniel Archuleta was promoted to Deputy Sheriff II
and remained assigned to the Taft Substation.
