OCEANSIDE -- Capt. Dave Webb's biggest challenge as commander of North County's California Highway Patrol office came early on. Within 18 months of his assuming the role in early 2000, two officers were killed by motorists on Interstate 5, devastating his squad, he said.
Slowly, the pain subsided.
"You get through it eventually -- you never forget them," said Webb, 60, who retired Monday after 37 years with the CHP and the last nine as commander in Oceanside.
Nearly a decade later, Webb knows the day and location they each died.
CHP Officer Sean Nava was struck and killed on duty Oct. 28, 2000, while at an accident scene near Tamarack Avenue in Carlsbad. Officer Steven Linen was also struck and killed while on duty near Leucadia, on Aug. 12, 2001.
No other North County CHP officers have died under Webb's watch. There have been, however, several major injury crashes involving his officers, and numerous civilians killed on local roadways, Webb said.
"Since I've been here, hundreds have been killed, unfortunately," the Vista resident said. "It's not like a plane crash. It doesn't happen all of a sudden."
Death and injury remain a constant for CHP officers, the commander noted. The state job is the sixth most dangerous nationwide among law enforcement agencies for on-duty deaths, he said.
Webb credits a strong and skilled staff of 82 patrol officers and 20 support staff for brightening his job and keeping motorists safe.
The North County patrol officers cover roughly 1,000 square miles, from the northern San Diego city limits to Riverside County and from the beach cities east to Valley Center.
He cited the Highway 76 corridor east of Interstate 15 as one that's quickly become among the most dangerous in the region. Nine fatal wrecks have taken place in the Valley Center and Pauma Valley areas this year alone, he said, adding several were on or near the 76. That's one-third of the total fatal wrecks for the North County, Webb said.
A state DUI enforcement grant will bolster patrols in that area in August, he said.
Webb plans to stay in his Vista area home once he retires. He and his wife of nearly 40 years, Bernadette, have three grown children and eight grandchildren. The commander said he hopes to see more of all of them in retirement.
Reflecting on his career with the CHP, which began with patrol duty in Blythe and led to stints as an academy training officer and later as head of internal affairs for the agency in Sacramento, Webb said he'll miss the people the most.
"I've had a great career. I don't have regrets," Webb said. "It's a really good squad here, really good people."
Call staff writer Chris Nichols at 760-740-5426.
