Tulare County Sheriff's Sergeant killed in off-duty rollover crash
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Tulare County Sheriff's sergeant is dead after an overnight, off-duty rollover crash, said Tulare Sheriff Mike Boudreaux.
The crash happened on 7th Avenue south of Highway 198 in Kings County when Sgt. Mike Yandell lost control of his vehicle causing it to rollover, killing him. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash but the California Highway Patrol said he was not wearing his seatbelt.
Sheriff Boudreaux said Yandell was a detective with the agriculture unit and a veteran of the department. His father is also a retired lieutenant of the Tulare County Sheriff's Office.
"For us today, it's just devastating and tragic," Boudreaux said. "What made him stand out was that it didn't matter which assignment he was in. It didn't matter if he was at the main jail or working in patrol or in investigation, he put his heart and soul into everything he did."
Dozens of Tulare County Sheriff's cruisers and police cars followed the body of Yandell from Kings County into Visalia Sunday in a procession to a funeral home.
"Just a good-hearted guy," Boudreaux said. "You couldn't ask for a nicer guy who truly was not only loyal to the office of the sheriff's department but that he loved and was loyal to the community he served."
Yandell was married and a father of two.
