Monday, January 30, 2012

Santa Maria Police Officers Banned From Fellow Officer Covarrubias Funeral, Father Says

Officer Albert Covarrubias Jr.

Photo: Family/KSBY dot com

Officer Covarrubias' father told local media that Santa Maria police officers are not welcome at son's funeral later this week.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 30, 2012

Santa Maria, California - On Sunday, Albert Covarrubias Sr., the father of slain Santa Maria Police Officer Albert Covarrubias Jr., 29, told KSBY dot com News that fellow officers and supervisors from the Santa Maria Police Department would not be welcome at his son's funeral. Officer Covarrubias was shot and killed on early Saturday by his best friend Officer Matthew Kline, after Covarrubias allegedly tried to resist arrest for sexual misconduct of a 17-year-old high school girl.
Several police supervisors went to where Officer Covarrubias was working at a DUI sobriety checkpoint just after 1:20 a.m. to take Covarrubias into custody when he allegedly resisted, struggled with the arresting officers and then fired his weapon at them. His best friend, Officer Kline who was working with Covarrubias in the police motorcycle unit fired his weapon at Covarrubias once, striking him in the chest.
Officer Covarrubias was taken to a hospital, but was later pronounced dead at the Marian Medical Center.
Officer Kline, an eight year veteran with the department was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Officer Covarrubias worked for the department for four years and had been married for only three weeks.
Covarrubias Sr. and family members are now left asking questions about how police handled the attempted arrest of Officer Covarrubias. No word, if Covarrubias's family will ask the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office for an inquest concerning Officer Covarrubias death.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office is investigating Saturday's shooting incident.

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