California Capitol flags at half-staff for Galt police officer who died after head-on crash
Capitol flags will be flown at half-staff in honor of Galt police Officer Harminder Grewal, who died Thursday at a Sacramento hospital days after the head-on collision that left his partner seriously injured.
Gov. Gavin Newsom offered condolences Friday afternoon to Grewal’s family and his Galt Police Department colleagues, calling the fallen officer a “devoted public servant.”
“Jennifer and I offer our deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Officer Grewal, a devoted public servant who worked selflessly to protect his community,” Newsom wrote. “Our thoughts are also with the fellow officer who was seriously injured and is recovering.”
Officer Kapri Herrera underwent a daylong surgery Thursday and is recovering in the intensive care unit at a local hospital in critical but stable condition, Galt police said at a Friday news conference announcing Grewal’s death.
Police and fire officials from Elk Grove, just miles up the highway, also showed their support for the shaken Galt force.
“We stand with the Galt Police Department at this difficult time as they lost a brother, a family member and a servant to the community,” Elk Grove police spokesman Jason Jimenez said at the Galt briefing. “We’re here to do anything we can to help.”
Both Elk Grove Police and Cosumnes Community Service District Fire Department, which serves Elk Grove and Galt, have an especially close relationship with Galt’s Police Department. A Cosumnes fire crew pulled the officers from their wrecked cruiser.
“This is just a horrible tragedy. This could have happened to absolutely anyone,” Cosumnes Fire Capt. Kevin Leveroni said earlier Friday from an Elk Grove Boulevard overpass as he waited for Grewal’s procession to drive down Highway 99. “It’s hard to reconcile. Galt’s a small town. We’re very close with their department. We know them very well.”
The deadly crash happened about 4:30 a.m. Sunday on Highway 99 near Dillard Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Grewal, who had served more than two years with the department and was its Officer of the Year in 2020, drove with partner Herrera to assist with the Caldor Fire burning in El Dorado County. A pickup truck heading south on Highway 99 struck the median, broke through a barrier and struck the patrol cruiser head-on.
Grewal and Herrera had to be extricated from their vehicle. The driver of the pickup, Manjot Singh Thind, 25, of Manteca, was killed in the collision. His two passengers, both 26, suffered moderate injuries.
The two officers had volunteered for duty in the Caldor Fire zone, Galt police Lt. Brian Kalinowski told reporters during the Friday news conference at Galt police headquarters.
“It was a community we don’t live in, but they gave up their free days to make sure they were safe as well,” Kalinowski said.
Grewal is survived by his parents, Gurdip and Jaswinder Grewal; his brother and sister-in-law Jasdeep and Kirandeep Grewal; and sister Naudeep Sidhu.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
This story was originally published August 27, 2021 at 7:17 PM.
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