A portion of Interstate Highway 505 in Vacaville has been named in memory of California Highway Patrol motorcycle Officer Kirk Anthony Griess, who died when he was struck by a truck during a traffic stop one year ago this month.
Secretary of State Alex Padilla this summer chaptered Assembly Concurrent Resolution 4 by Assemblyman Jim Frazier, D-Discovery Bay. The resolution approved by the Legislature designates Highway 505 between the Interstate Highway 80 interchange and Vaca Valley Parkway “CHP Officer Kirk Griess Memorial Highway.”
“Officer Griess was a respected and beloved CHP officer and community member who served the Solano County community for nineteen years,” said Frazier, chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee.
“Naming a highway for Officer Griess will not mitigate the pain and sense of loss his family and the community continues to endure, but it will help ensure his service and sacrifice are not forgotten,” Frazier said.
CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said the loss of Griess, 46, was devastating to Griess’ family, the CHP family and the community.
“On behalf of the 11,000 women and men of the California Highway Patrol, I want to thank Assemblyman Frazier for his efforts to introduce ACR 4 and further ensure that Officer Griess’ service and sacrifice are always remembered by the people he so proudly served,” Stanley said.
Griess, a 19-year CHP veteran, and Jaime Manuel, 49, of Vallejo, died when they were struck by a Chevrolet pickup truck on the right shoulder of eastbound I-80 around 9 a.m. on Aug. 10, 2018.
Griess had pulled over Manuel’s Saturn SUV when they were struck by the truck driven by Sean Matthew Walker, then 36, of Rocklin.
Walker was charged with two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 20 in Solano County Superior Court in Vallejo.