"They just know when they see a red and blue light going on and it's lit up, they just know something's happening," Chowchilla Police Chief Jeff Palmer said. "Something of significance is happening."
The procession began at the Madera County Coroner's office and ended at a funeral home in Hughson.
On each overpass, a solemn salute with police and firefighters standing side by side.
"There's a comfort in knowing that all those men and women in law enforcement and fire showing up the way they did, too," Chief Palmer said. "Knowing that they're all there and they'll have our backs."
On October 3, Officer Barrantes was on his routine patrol on State Route 152 and Road 13 when his vehicle collided with a big rig hauling tomatoes.
This is the first time the Chowchilla Police Department lost one of their own in the line of duty.
The lobby of the department is now a memorial that's filled with flowers and messages.
For other allied agencies like Merced police, it's a feeling far too familiar.
"Having a department that also lost one of our own in line of duty means a lot, and it brings back a lot of memories for them," Merced Police Chief Steven Stanfield said. "It brings back a lot of tears, a lot of sorrow, but also just a sign of the staff that we can be here for one another."
Officer Barrantes had a combined 15 years of service. The 37-year-old leaves behind three children and a legacy of dedication, mentorship and strong family values.
"He was a dad to his kids and he was a dad to some of my younger officers, so just be he's going to be missed," Chief Palmer said.
The Chowchilla Police Department will host a candlelight vigil on Thursday at 8 p.m.
Funeral services will be held on October 16 in Chowchilla, and then Officer Barrantes will be laid to rest in his hometown of Dos Palos.
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