Several main roads and even freeways will be closed temporarily on Monday due to the funeral services and burials for Officers Juan Gonzalez and Brian Law.
The CHP says the traffic closures could start as early as 7:30 a.m. when the bodies of the fallen officers arrive at the Save Mart Center. Afterward, a motorcade will escort Officer Law's body for burial in Clovis, and then the motorcade will head to Tulare, where Officer Gonzalez will be laid to rest.
A wreath of roses outside the CHP office in Central Fresno is placed in memory of Officers Gonzalez and Law. The two officers went through the academy together and were close friends. Both died last Monday in a car crash on Highway 99, just south of Kingsburg.
"This week has been extremely emotional for all the officers. If you didn't know them, if you did know them, it's been very, very, very hard on the officers," said CHP Officer Kirk Arnold.
Final goodbyes for the officers will be said at the Save Mart Center. Fresno police officers spent Sunday setting cones in the parking stalls outside to help ease congestion.
"Well there's a lot of moving parts to this; it's a large event. We have to park vehicles so they can quickly get in and then quickly get out in a timely manner so that we can move the services along in a timely manner," said Capt. Andy Hall with the Fresno Police Department's Traffic Bureau.
A CHP spokesman says they are expecting thousands of guests, not only the officers' friends and families, and uniformed officers from several agencies. Gov. Jerry Brown and State Attorney General Kamala Harris are expected to attend the service as well.
The service is expected to last from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. That's when Fresno police will shut down eastbound lanes on Shaw Avenue from the Save Mart Center to Villa Avenue in Clovis. They will also close northbound lanes on Villa Avenue as a motorcade of at least 100 vehicles will escort Officer Law's body to the Clovis Cemetery.
"Recommendations for folks that are actually attending Fresno State: to walk, use public transportation, a carpool, anything that you don't have to drive to a class -- I recommend not doing that," said Arnold.
The CHP says tentatively the motorcade will leave Clovis between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. It will travel on Highway 168 on-ramp at Herndon Avenue, making its way south on Highway 41, and then south on Highway 99, eventually taking Officer Gonzalez to his final resting place at North Tulare Public Cemetery on J Street and Highway 99.
The CHP has also set up separate funds for each of the officers. The money collected will go directly to each of their families.
Donations can be made by calling 1-800-542-2247.
Donations can also be mailed to:
CAHP Credit Union
2843 Manlove Road
P.O. Box 276507
Sacramento, CA 95827-6507
