Monday, February 27, 2006
Former Barstow CHP officer killed by suspected drunken driver

http://www.desertdispatch.com/2006/114106033830713.html

By LEROY STANDISH/Staff Writer

A 10-year veteran of the California Highway Patrol, Iraqi war veteran, husband, father of four and resident of Adelanto, died late Saturday night in a fiery crash touched off by an alleged drunken driver.

Motorcycle officer Gregory Bailey, 36, was pronounced dead at 11:46 p.m. after he was caught in a spiral of debris created by a suspected drunken driver who veered off the shoulder of Interstate 15 north of Oak Hill Road.

Bailey was a sergeant first class in the Army National Guard. Just four months ago he had returned home from a 15-month tour of duty in Iraq. Bailey, who used to work out of the CHP's Barstow office, was assigned to the CHP's Rancho Cucamonga office, he was on his way home from work when the accident happened.

"He completed his assigned shift of that night, but because we all ride our motorcycles home we sometimes make stops," said one of Bailey's co-workers out of the CHP's Rancho Cucamonga office, Officer Tony Nguyen. "In this case it was a suspected drunk driver."

Bailey stopped a 1994 Ford Ranger Pickup on the northbound side of I-15 at 10:37 p.m. south of Ranchero Road.

"He was standing at the right front door making contact with the driver when a 1991 Honda Accord, which had driven on the right shoulder at approximately 65 mph, struck the (2004 BMW) Highway Patrol motorcycle," said long time friend Sgt. Kevin Eads, of the CHP's Victorville office. "The Honda continued forward and struck the rear of the Ford pickup causing the pickup to roll on its right side into the No. 4 lane. The CHP motorcycle and the Honda caught on fire."

The first officers on scene, from the CHP's Victorville office, attempted to stabilize Bailey before he was airlifted to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center.

"The officers that were on the scene knew him personally," said Eads, who had worked with Bailey when the two were assigned to the CHP's Barstow office.

Despite the efforts of officers, paramedics and doctors Bailey succumbed to his injuries an hour later at Arrowhead. "It is pretty tough on us right now. It is just tough because you are losing a family member," Eads said. "He was a great guy, a hard worker and real pleasant to be around."

Bailey is survived by his wife Teresa and four young children -- two daughters and two sons.

The driver of the Honda, which touched off the chain-reaction accident, is Domingo Esqueda, 20, of Adelanto, according to a press release issued by the CHP.

Esqueda had a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit, Eads said. He did not have a valid driver's license. What he did have was a fake identification card, a Mexican identification card and other identification all with different names and different variations of names, Eads said.

Esqueda was transported to Loma Linda Medical Center with minor injuries, Eads said. Once released from the hospital he will be booked into the West Valley Detention Center for suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and felony DUI, Eads said.

The driver of the pickup, Francisco Trujillo, 52, of Lucerne Valley, also suffered minor injuries and was transported to Arrowhead.

Nguyen said Bailey will be missed. "He was a good guy -- a good friend to have, a fellow motor rider -- he was just very relaxed and easy going," Nguyen said. "He was a good friend

basically."