Daniel V. Chavira, 21, was identified as the off-duty deputy killed in a multivehicle collision on San Francisquito Canyon Road on Monday, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Chavira graduated from the academy class 476 on Oct. 4, 2024, and was assigned to the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic and set to begin patrol school on Monday, to then be assigned to the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station after six months, an LASD Instagram post stated.
He was “a dedicated young deputy whose passion for service was evident from day one,” the post read. “Deputy Chavira was driven, humble, and committed to making a difference. He leaves behind a proud loving family.”
According to the post, Chavira’s family is deeply connected to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
He is survived by his father, his two brothers including Deputy Rene Valencia-Chavira, who works at the Lancaster Station, Rene’s wife Deputy Crystal Valencia-Chavira, who works at San Fernando Superior Court, and his sister Detective Nancy Alcaraz and her husband Deputy Martin Alcaraz, who both work at the Palmdale Station.
The crash occurred at 3:17 p.m. in the 32800 block of San Francisquito Canyon Road where four patients were treated for injuries, two of them being minors, according to initial reports.
Chavira sustained critical injuries and was airlifted by helicopter to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, according to an email from Carlos Burgos-Lopez, spokesman for the California Highway Patrol Newhall-area Office.
The other individuals who sustained injuries were transported by ambulance to Henry Mayo for medical treatment, the statement added.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of one of our own, who was taken from us far too soon,” Sheriff Robert G. Luna said in a prepared statement.
“Our deputy dedicated his life to the service and safety of others, both in and out of uniform,” read the statement from LASD regarding the deputy’s death. “His commitment to public safety was not just a job — it was who he was. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and all who knew him.”
L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose district includes the Santa Clarita Valley, issued the following statement Tuesday morning:
“I am heartbroken by the tragic loss of a young Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy in yesterday’s multi-vehicle crash in Santa Clarita,” Barger’s statement said. “My thoughts are with the deputy’s loved ones and the families of all those injured. I stand with Sheriff Luna and the entire LASD family as we mourn this tremendous loss.”
A Sheriff’s Department official confirmed on condition of anonymity that Chavira had just completed a double shift at the North County Correctional Facility and was driving home when he fell asleep at the wheel.
