Bill Text: CA SCR13 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Redding Police Officer Owen "Ted" Lyon Memorial Bridge.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2013-08-29 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Res. Chapter 86, Statutes of 2013. [SCR13 Detail]
Download: California-2013-SCR13-Chaptered.html
BILL NUMBER: SCR 13 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
RESOLUTION CHAPTER 86
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE AUGUST 29, 2013
ADOPTED IN SENATE APRIL 18, 2013
ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 26, 2013
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 1, 2013
INTRODUCED BY Senator Nielsen
FEBRUARY 21, 2013
Relative to the Redding Police Officer Owen "Ted" Lyon Memorial
Bridge.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SCR 13, Nielsen. Redding Police Officer Owen "Ted" Lyon Memorial
Bridge.
This measure would designate the Sacramento River Bridge (#6-14)
located on State Highway Route 273 as it crosses the Sacramento River
into downtown in the City of Redding as the Redding Police Officer
Owen "Ted" Lyon Memorial Bridge. The measure would request the
Department of Transportation to determine the cost for appropriate
signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations
from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs.
WHEREAS, Police Officer Owen "Ted" Lyon was born on June 6, 1931,
in Socorro, New Mexico. He graduated from Red Bluff High School in
1949 and went on to junior college for one and one-half years to
study electrical engineering. He worked for the Paul Bunyan Lumber
Company in Anderson, California, from April 1957 to September 1961,
inclusive. On September 7, 1961, he joined the Redding Police
Department; and
WHEREAS, Officer Ted Lyon was killed in the line of duty on May
18, 1967. He and his partner, Jon Kelbaugh, had responded to the
address of 1047 Gilbert Street in the City of Redding on a domestic
violence incident where it had been reported that a drunk man had
been fighting with his wife in an apartment and had threatened her
with a gun; and
WHEREAS, As both officers approached the front door on foot, a man
stepped out from behind the door firing a .32 caliber handgun and
Officer Lyon was shot in the abdomen by the suspect and fell to the
ground still holding his service weapon and Officer Kelbaugh was also
shot in the abdomen and the back; and
WHEREAS, After retreating, Officer Kelbaugh, who survived the
assault engaged the suspect in a gun battle using a shotgun and the
suspect was killed. Officer Kelbaugh loaded Officer Lyon into a
police unit and drove him to the Redding Medical Center where he died
approximately 24 hours later; and
WHEREAS, Officer Lyon was 35 years of age, had six years of
service with the Redding Police Department, and was survived by his
wife, Joanne Gifford, his mother, Alice Lyon, his daughter, Tina
Combs, his two stepsons, John and Jim Hunt, his three brothers,
Herbert, Terry, and Jerry Lyon, his sister, Roena Callison, and his
nephew, Curtis Lyon; and
WHEREAS, Many officers from the Redding Police Department and the
Shasta County Sheriff's Department responded to the hospital to
donate blood and nearly 60 pints of blood were collected in an effort
to save the life of Officer Lyon; and
WHEREAS, On September 18, 2012, the Redding City Council
unanimously approved authorization for the Redding Police Department
to proceed with this request to create the Redding Police Officer
Owen "Ted" Lyon Memorial Bridge; and
WHEREAS, Officer Lyon made the ultimate sacrifice in the
performance of his duties protecting his fellow citizens, and because
his dedication to duty is in the highest tradition of law
enforcement and the Redding Police Department; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature designates the Sacramento
River Bridge (#6-14) in Redding as the Redding Police Officer Owen
"Ted" Lyon Memorial Bridge as a fitting tribute to his memory,
service, and sacrifice; and be it further
Resolved, That the Department of Transportation install signs on
the Sacramento River Bridge (#6-14), located on State Highway Route
273 where it crosses the Sacramento River into downtown in the City
of Redding, with one sign to be located on the northbound side of the
bridge at milepost 17.08 and the second sign to be located on the
southbound side of the bridge at milepost 17.23; and be it further
Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested to
determine the cost of erecting the appropriate signs, consistent with
the signing requirements for the state highway system, showing this
special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate
sources covering that cost, to erect those signs; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author for
appropriate distribution.
