Officer Philip Dennis Ortiz, California Highway Patrol, California

Officer Philip Dennis Ortiz

California Highway Patrol, California

End of Watch Tuesday, June 22, 2010

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Philip Dennis Ortiz

Officer Philip Ortiz succumbed to injuries sustained two weeks earlier when he was struck by a vehicle on I-405 near National Boulevard in West Los Angeles.

He was issuing a traffic citation to a driver when another car, which was driving on the shoulder passing other vehicles, struck him and his motorcycle.

Officer Ortiz was pinned in the wreckage and had to be extricated by the responding rescue crew. He was transported to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center where he remained until passing away.

Office Ortiz had served with the California Highway Patrol for 28 years. He is survived by his wife, parents, and sister.

Bio

Age 48
Tour 28 years
Badge 10428

Incident Details

Cause Struck by vehicle
Incident Date Wednesday, June 9, 2010

traffic stop

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Most Recent Reflection

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Thank you for teaching me how to ride safely. Because of the training I received from you, my life was spared! You taught me to clear each lane of the I-405 when moving from the #5 to the #1. You said doing so was important because I might not see the car in the #1 when only looking once from the #5.

Sure enough, while out patrolling the same area a year or so after our training, I was tempted to move from the #5 to the #1, but could hear you speaking to me to clear each lane. I cleared from the #5, #4, #3, and thought, “thats good enough…”

As I was ready to move from the #2 to the #1, I looked over my left shoulder to make sure it was still clear, and wouldn’t ya know it, a vehicle in the #1 was right there! It was traveling well over 100 MPH and had I not looked, I would not be here today!

Miss ya brother!

G. Garcia
Honorably retired Highway Patrolman (1991-2020)
USN Veteran

June 22, 2024