California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 14

Introduced by Assembly Member Irwin

January 29, 2015

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 14—Relative to the Deputy Sheriff Yevhen “Eugene” Kostiuchenko Memorial Highway.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 14, as introduced, Irwin. Deputy Sheriff Yevhen “Eugene” Kostiuchenko Memorial Highway.

This measure would designate a specified portion of State Highway Route 101 in the County of Ventura as the Deputy Sheriff Yevhen “Eugene” Kostiuchenko Memorial Highway. This measure would request that the Department of Transportation determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs.

Fiscal committee: yes.

WHEREAS, Ventura County Deputy Sheriff Yevhen “Eugene”
Kostiuchenko was born in Kiev, Ukraine, to Anatoliy and Nadiia
Kostiuchenko on January 30, 1973, and was one of two children
born to the Kostiuchenko’s, including a brother Oleksandr; and

WHEREAS, Eugene was raised in Kiev, Ukraine, where he
attended secondary school from 1980 though 1990. Later, he
attended the Military University of Defense of Russian Federation
in Moscow where he received a masters degree in linguistics; and

WHEREAS, Eugene was fluent in four languages: Ukrainian,
Russian, English, and Farsi. Eugene could also communicate in
German; and

WHEREAS, Eugene achieved the rank of Captain in the
Ukranian Armed Forces where he served from 1995 to 1999; and

WHEREAS, Eugene was a Military Intelligence Officer and
served as a liaison with the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the
Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Central Intelligence
Agency. Eugene held the very prestigious position of serving as
the adjutant to the General of the Ukranian Army; and

WHEREAS, Eugene began his career with the County of
Ventura in April 2003. He initially worked as a program
administrator with the Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services
where he assisted with training and response plans for the County’s
Terrorism Working Group; and

WHEREAS, On July 5, 2007, Eugene was hired as a deputy
sheriff trainee and began the rigorous five-month training program
at the Sheriff’s Regional Training Center; and

WHEREAS, Eugene was a member of Class 2007-2 that began
with 25 Sheriff’s recruits and graduated 20. Through Eugene’s
discipline, dedication, and work ethic, he was one of the successful
3 percent who made it all the way from the initial application
process to graduation; and

WHEREAS, Eugene was sworn in as a deputy sheriff on
November 29, 2007, and worked in the Detention Services Division
until October 2013. After working in two custody facilities, he
was transferred to patrol in the City of Camarillo where he began
patrol training; and

WHEREAS, Eugene completed patrol training in April 2014,
and worked as a patrol deputy in Camarillo, proudly serving the
residents of that city; and

WHEREAS, Eugene was an avid runner who could often be
seen running through the streets of Camarillo as he trained for the
Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay. This event, often referred
to as the ultimate foot pursuit, is a difficult relay race consisting
of 120 miles and 20 stages that starts in Baker, California and ends
in Las Vegas, Nevada. Eugene was a member of the Sheriff’s
Office elite competitive team and would often run the hardest and
longest legs of the race; and

WHEREAS, On October 28, 2014, Eugene had completed an
early morning traffic stop and was walking back to his patrol
vehicle when he was struck and killed by an intoxicated driver;
and

WHEREAS, Eugene enforced the law with enthusiasm but was
also kind, compassionate, and caring. He loved animals and had
future aspirations to become a canine handler and a member of
the Sheriff’s Bomb Team. Those goals were not achieved due to
his untimely passing, but there is no doubt he would have been
successful in those endeavors as he was in all the other areas of
his life; and

WHEREAS, Eugene will be truly missed by all who had the
pleasure and honor of knowing him; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates the
2.040 mile portion of State Highway Route 101 between Lewis
Road/Junction State Route 34 at mile post 13.848 and Las Posas
Road at mile post 15.888 in the County of Ventura as the Deputy
Sheriff Yevhen “Eugene” Kostiuchenko Memorial Highway; and
be it further

Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested
to determine the cost of appropriate signs consistent with the
signing requirements for the state highway system showing this
special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate
sources sufficient to cover that cost, to erect those signs; and be it
further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author
for appropriate distribution.