Officer Killed in Funeral Crash Was a Local

The police officer who died in Thursday's funeral motorcade crash was from Rossmoor.

Andrew Garton, 44, a seven-year Hawthorne police force veteran, was thrown into oncoming traffic after colliding with another motorcycle officer during a funeral procession that witnesses described as disorganized and chaotic.

He was struck by a black Toyota sedan headed north on Hawthorne Boulevard, Torrance police Sgt. Jeremiah Hart said in a news conference.

Garton died at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, the first Hawthorne officer killed in the line of duty in the department's 89-year history, Chief Robert Fager said.

He is survived by his wife, Tracy, and sons Grant and Garrett, ages 7 and 12, of Rossmoor, officials said. 

"The reality of what's happened is overwhelming and the reality is uncharted territory for us as an organization,'' Fager said.

Officers "will stand as a department and as a family'' to work through the grief over Garton's death, Fager said. Police quickly set up a trust fund for Garton's family (details at the end of this story).

After the accident, Garton's family was flown to his hospital bedside in a helicopter provided by the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, the Daily Breeze reported. The helicopter took off from Hopkinson Elementary in Los Alamitos, according to the school.

(The other officer in the crash, El Segundo police Sgt. Rex Fowler, suffered a broken left leg, Hart said.)

News of the tragedy spread quickly through Rossmoor and Los Alamitos, where Garton was active in youth sports and his wife has worked as a tutor.

A St. Hedwig’s baseball coach, Fritz Pollard, sent out a note alerting players and parents to the tragedy and calling for prayers and support:

“On a sad note, I have just been informed that Andrew Garton was killed today in the line of duty. His son Grant is a 7-year-old who played on the Pinto Cubs. I saw Andrew at closing ceremonies ... just a very nice and quiet man. You would remember him because he was at all the Cubs' games and often coached third. He would even attend the games in his uniform if working that night. ... It is news like this that reminds us how fragile life is. ... Say a prayer for the Gartons tonight.”

Garton's death left colleagues and families stunned, as witnesses described the "chaotic'' scene that preceded the collision.

Garton and Fowler were escorting a funeral procession for Manhattan Beach police Officer Mark Vasquez, 36, who died of cancer. The pair were handling traffic control using a technique known as leapfrogging, blocking vehicles at alternating intersections. As the motorcade passes the last officer, he races to the front of the procession to block the next intersection.

Several witnesses said the motorcade was disorganized and chaotic as it wound through the South Bay, the Daily Breeze reported.

Suzanne Scott, who knew Vasquez and attended the funeral, told the newspaper she was in a minor four-vehicle collision as the procession made its way through Manhattan Beach.

After her crash, she was taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries, and heard about the officers' crash.

"It was chaotic,'' Scott said. "There were just so many people.''

Police from several departments -- in the area for the funeral -- rushed to the scene and Torrance officers redirected traffic through neighborhood streets, bringing the afternoon commute to a near-standstill.

The collision occurred about 12:30 p.m. Thursday at 227th Street and Hawthorne Boulevard. Rescue teams performed CPR on Garton as he lay in the street before transporting him to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

Gov. Jerry Brown ordered Capitol flags flown at half-staff and extended condolences to Garton's friends, family and colleagues.

"California's communities are made safer each day by the bravery and sacrifice of our law enforcement officers,'' Brown said. "We are deeply saddened to learn of Officer Garton's tragic death while honoring another fallen colleague.''

"This is one tragedy on top of another," Hart said. "We're going to deal with it together, as a family, a department and as a community."

The California Highway Patrol was investigating the collision. Hart said it was unclear if the officers -- from different police departments -- were using the same radio frequency.

Officers go through extensive training before funeral processions, Hart told the Breeze.

Garton spent the past 4 1/2 years as a motorcycle officer and also worked for the SWAT team.

Fowler, a traffic and animal-control sergeant who has been on the force more than 20 years, was in stable condition after surgery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Thursday night, according to the Breeze.

A trust fund was established to assist Garton's family. Donations can be made via the Western Federal Credit Union, 14500 S. Aviation Blvd. in Hawthorne, or at the Hawthorne police station, 12501 S. Hawthorne Blvd. Donations should be made out to: Officer Andrew Garton's Family, c/o HPOA, account No. 654404-006.

—From Patch staff and City News Service reports.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said Garton worked for the Hawthorne Police Department for 17 years. He was with the force for seven years.

Updated at 12:10 a.m. Saturday with additional information about Garton's family.