South Valley highway sign dedicated to fallen CHP officer

KINGS COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A CHP officer killed in the line of duty almost 30 years ago was honored on Friday by the California Highway Patrol.

The loss of CHP Officer Dean Esquibel still weighs heavy on friends and family nearly 30 years after his death.

"When my mom asked me if there was anything I would like to say, I said, 'Yeah there are a lot of things I would like to say to my brother,'" said Tony Esquibel, Dean Esquibel's brother.

On Aug. 7, 1985, Officer Esquibel was on duty when he was involved in a car crash after chasing a fleeing motorcycle. The injuries he suffered in the crash cost him his life. He left behind his mother, father, siblings, wife and his then 2-year-old son Justin.

"I never knew my father, so I hear some things like things that I did, and it's my only way to connect with him. I'm like my dad in that way because I did the same things," said Justin Esquibel.

Community leaders and dignitaries spoke of Officer Esquibel's dedication, and unveiled a highway sign that will stand as a memorial along Highway 198.

Officer Esquibel's brother Curtis recalls a conversation he had with his older brother while they were taking a lunch break during a ride along.

"He said, 'I don't do this for the money, and I don't do it for the discounts; this is what I love doing,'" said Curtis Esquibel.

Drivers will notice the new signs honoring Officer Esquibel when they travel on both the eastbound and westbound sides of Highway 198, just shy of the Kings County line.