Since 1924, more than three dozen state engineers and related professionals represented by the Professional Engineers in California Government (PECG) have lost their lives serving the public.  This list is a sad-yet-inspirational reminder that the Golden State’s progress has always come from the selfless sacrifice of those who serve the public, even at the risk of their own lives.

YEARNAMEDEPARTMENT / AGENCYJOB TITLE
2022Ali ShabazzCaltrans D6 – Central ValleyCivil Engineer
2022Qanda McGadneyCaltrans D4 – Bay AreaLandscape Maintenance Worker
2022Abeer AqrabawiCaltrans D4 – Bay AreaTransportation (Civil) Engineer
2015Oscar VargasCaltrans D11 – San DiegoTransportation (Civil) Engineer
2008Muoi Duc TranCaltrans D2 – ReddingTransportation (Civil) Engineer
1998Hemul PatelCaltrans D3 – Marysville / SacramentoTransportation (Civil) Engineer
1994Brad Lee JossCaltrans D4 – Bay Area / OaklandTransportation (Civil) Engineer
1993Robert J. EssenpreisCaltrans D2 – ReddingTransportation (Civil) Engineer
1992Callie Joel Buser, JrCaltrans D7 – Los AngelesLand Surveys Supervisor
1990Oscar LanattaCaltrans D10 – StocktonCivil Engineer
1989Tsutomu (Ben) TaniCaltrans D6 – Fresno / BakersfieldAssistant Transportation Engineer
1987David HoffmanCaltrans D11 – San DiegoAssociate Engineer
1984Byron WorksCaltrans HeadquartersEngineering Geologist
1983Roland V. KellerCaltrans D10 – StocktonAssistant Transportation Engineer
1981James C. Escola, JrCaltrans D3 – Marysville / SacramentoAssistant Transportation Engineer
1979Daniel C. WongCaltrans D4 – Bay Area / OaklandEngineering Geologist
1978David R. TobeyCaltrans D9 – BishopEngineering Student Assistant
1973Emory PriceCaltrans D7 – Los AngelesHighway Resident Engineer
1971Carl P. TarditoCaltrans D4 – Bay Area / OaklandLand Surveyor
1971Jerry CoreyCaltrans D4 – Bay Area / OaklandLand Surveyor
1969William McLaughlinCaltrans D10 – StocktonAssistant Highway Engineer
1968Richard McQuillanCaltrans D4 – Bay Area / OaklandLand Surveyor
1966Bruce ColeCaltrans HeadquartersAssistant Bridge Engineer
1965Robert AdamsCaltrans D4 – Bay Area / OaklandAssociate Engineer
1964Evan G. BowerCaltrans D8 – San Bernardino / RiversideAssistant District Engineer
1963Arnold H. LenoxCaltrans D11 – San DiegoLand Surveyor
1962Frank James SmithCaltrans HeadquartersAssistant Bridge Engineer
1962Lylee E. BilyueCaltrans D2 – ReddingAssistant Highway Engineer
1958Vaughn O. SheffCaltrans D7 – Los AngelesSuperintendent/Engineer
1957John W. SpargoCaltrans D4 – Bay Area / OaklandEngineer
1956George LeatherwoodCaltrans D1 – EurekaSenior Highway Engineer
1956Walter H. JohnsonCaltrans HeadquartersAssistant Bridge Engineer
1954Donald W. AndersonCaltrans D8 – San Bernardino / RiversideAssistant Engineer
1953Alan L. RobbinsCaltrans D11 – San DiegoLand Surveyor
1948Frank W. PoastCaltrans D8 – San Bernardino / RiversideAssistant Highway Engineer
1938Charles PopeCaltrans HeadquartersConstruction Engineer
1935Raymond BulandCaltrans D2 – ReddingAssistant Highway Engineer
1934Fred BalszCaltrans D3 – Marysville / SacramentoLand Surveyor
1933William KrasevacCaltrans D3 – Marysville / SacramentoLand Surveyor
1931Albert CastroCaltrans D5 – San Luis Obispo / Santa BarbaraLand Surveyor
1924Alfred AchtertCaltrans D8 – San Bernardino / RiversideAssistant Resident Engineer
1921James Daniel ArcherCaltrans D1 – EurekaSuperintendent/Land Surveyor

California State Engineer Memorial Interchange

State Highway Route 5 and State Highway Route 50 (Sacramento County)

If you are aware of a colleague – a Unit 9 state engineer or related professional – who has passed away on the job in public service to Californians, please let PECG know so we can honor them as well.  Thank you for your help.

The California State Legislature in 2012 named the interchange of State Highway Route 5 and State Highway Route 50 in Sacramento County as the California State Engineer Memorial Interchange. The resolution that made the designation did so to honor “the state engineers and related professionals who have lost their lives serving the public” and commended “PECG members for their exemplary work designing and inspecting infrastructure.”

The State Assembly Resolution (ACR 100 – 2012)
Officially Recognizing the California State Engineer Memorial Interchange

WHEREAS, The men and women who serve Californians as engineers and closely related professionals throughout state government are persons of skill, intelligence, and advanced training who deserve to be recognized for their dedicated service; and

WHEREAS, California’s state engineers and related professionals have paid a high price in serving our state with at least 37 on-the-job deaths in their ranks over the last century; and

WHEREAS, The Legislature desires to promote the safety of the state’s employees and to encourage motorists traveling in and through the state to exercise caution and care when encountering a work zone; and

WHEREAS, California’s state engineers design and inspect the state’s highways and bridges, ensure that schools and hospitals are safe during earthquakes, improve air and water quality, work to reduce fossil fuel emissions, and perform countless other professional functions that create jobs and protect public safety in our state; and

WHEREAS, The Professional Engineers in California Government (PECG) was organized in 1962 in the San Francisco Bay area to represent state engineers and address the safety concerns associated with state service; and

WHEREAS, PECG is, therefore, celebrating its 50th anniversary as an organization in 2012; and

WHEREAS, PECG represents approximately 13,000 professional engineers, architects, land surveyors, engineering geologists, and closely related professionals serving the public in state government; and

WHEREAS, The Legislature honors the state engineers and related professionals who have lost their lives serving the public and commends PECG members for their exemplary work designing and inspecting infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, It would be a fitting tribute to past, present, and future state engineers and related professionals and PECG’s 50th anniversary to designate the interchange of State Highway Route 5 and State Highway Route 50 in the County of Sacramento as the California State Engineer Memorial Interchange to recognize the dedicated public service of California’s state engineers and related professionals;