Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 13

Introduced by Senator Nielsen

February 21, 2013

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 13—Relative to the Redding Police Officer Owen “Ted” Lyon Memorial Bridge.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 13, as introduced, Nielsen. Redding Police Officer Owen “Ted” Lyon Memorial Bridge.

This measure would designate the North Market Street Bridge 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.

Fiscal committee: yes.

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 chest 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 brother, Herbert Lyon, his nephew, Curtis Lyon, and his
daughter, Tina Combs; 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 North
Market Street Bridge 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 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 Department of Transportation and to the
author for appropriate distribution.

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CORRECTIONS:

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