Deputy Dennis Earl Phelps, 47, of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office was fatally shot during a traffic stop on May 19, 2002, on Highway 168 at Shepherd Street in Clovis, California. He had stopped a vehicle that had been involved in a shooting about 45 minutes earlier. After notifying dispatch, radio contact with Deputy Phelps was lost; a responding officer found him on the ground and his gun, badge, radio, and patrol car had been stolen by the suspect. He was flown to a local hospital and died of his injuries.

The stolen patrol car was later located by another deputy, prompting a pursuit in which the suspect fired at the pursuing officer and shattered that patrol vehicle’s windows. The suspect crashed the patrol car, fled on foot, and a multi‑agency manhunt involving more than 100 officers followed. During the search the suspect fired on a department helicopter and struck its rotor blade. On May 25, 2002, the suspect was found in a trailer in the Prather area; when surrounded he opened fire and was shot and killed.

Phelps had 18 months with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and a law enforcement career dating to the early 1980s; he had completed patrol deputy training one week before the shooting. He is survived by his wife, daughter, son, parents, and sister. Does anyone have memories of Deputy Phelps or information about the traffic stop that could shed more light on what happened that day?