Rocklin Officer Matthew Redding

From SacBee.com
By Kim Minugh—Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Monday, October 10, 2005

The Rocklin Police Department grieved Sunday for its first fallen officer in nearly 100 years.
Officer Matthew Redding, 29, died early Sunday after being struck by an alleged drunken driver on northbound Highway 65, just south of Stanford Ranch Road.

Redding was assisting Citrus Heights police in what police called a “high-risk” traffic stop at about 4 a.m., setting up cones to block a lane of traffic, when a man driving a white Ford pickup hit him and drove off, Rocklin police officials said.

Eric Dungan, 25, of Lincoln, later was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and felony hit-and-run driving, police reported.

Redding was taken to Sutter Roseville Medical Center, where he died from injuries sustained in the accident.

Northbound 65 was closed from Interstate 80 to Stanford Ranch until about 3 p.m., while several agencies investigated the accident.

As news of Redding’s death spread through the community Sunday - partly because of disruption caused by eastbound Interstate 80 drivers re-routed through the core of the city to reconnect with Highway 65 - residents mourned the loss of a protector and a native son.

“It kind of rips at the soul of the community,“ said City Council member George Magnuson, whose son played baseball with Redding as a young boy.

Magnuson and City Manager Carlos Urrutia stopped into the Police Department early Sunday afternoon to drop off sandwiches for officers, who had been seeking solace at their Rocklin Road headquarters throughout the day.

Urrutia said counselors would be available early in the week.

The service could be greatly needed within the small, close-knit department. Its 49 officers were so grief-stricken Sunday that the Roseville Police Department covered all patrols for part of the day, said Chief Mark Siemens.

Redding is the department’s first loss since the early 20th century, Siemens said.

“It’ll be a dark day in our history for some time,“ Siemens said.

Born and raised in Rocklin, Redding attended Del Oro High School and Sierra College. Before joining the department four years ago, he served the community while working at Bel Air Market on Sunset Boulevard.

Siemens said Redding took to police work quickly, and was named to the SWAT team in June 2004 - “quite an accomplishment for such a young officer,“ the chief said.

He described Redding as reliable, aggressive, brave and extremely physically fit - a quality officials believe helped save a man’s life in October 2003, when Redding responded to a call about a car accident with serious injuries.

Upon arriving at the scene, Redding found the driver ejected from his Ford pickup , pinned underneath the truck’s side and apparently not breathing.

Redding lifted the truck off the victim’s chest and held it so he could breathe. Two more officers arrived, and the three kept the truck raised for about 10 minutes, until it could be secured.

For his work, Siemens recognized Redding with a Life-Saving Effort Award.

Friends of Redding remembered him not only as an admirable officer but as a personable, fun and athletic young man.

“No matter what mood you were in, if he was around you couldn’t help but smile,“ said Officer Byron Green, who worked with Redding on the weekend graveyard shift. “He always lifted you up.“

Green said Redding was active in his church, and that his father was his best friend.

“It hurts,“ Green said. “It brings to reality how fragile life is.“

Redding is survived by his parents, his brother and his girlfriend of two years. No services have yet been scheduled.

KCRA.com News With Video

News10.net Story On Rocklin Officer With Video