2 weeks ago
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CHOWCHILLA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – It's been astir a week since the Chowchilla Police Department mislaid Officer Raymond Barrantes.
Barrantes was killed successful a car clang involving a semi-truck successful Madera County connected Road 13 and State Route 152 Friday night.
On Thursday, a somber candlelight vigil was held extracurricular the constabulary section to grant his beingness and grieve his death. Barrantes leaves down a loving family, including his mother, brother, sister, children, and stepchildren.
"I conscionable know, you know, Raymond I cognize is looking down connected america and is conscionable highly thankful and truthful blessed and smiling astatine this turnout," his sister Irene Lelandais said pursuing the vigil.
Lelandais said past week's quality wholly devastated their full family.
"I'm okay. You know, it's hard. It inactive feels precise unreal, and I conscionable consciousness similar it's been a week that we haven't talked, and he's going to telephone me," she said.
The vigil focused connected who Barrantes was arsenic an serviceman and arsenic a person. Lelandais said being an serviceman was a immense portion of his life, arsenic helium worked successful instrumentality enforcement crossed aggregate agencies since he was 20. Tears flowed from galore astatine the vigil arsenic a peculiar opus that was made conscionable for Barrantes played done the speakers.
But the astir important portion of his beingness was being a father.
"I conscionable commune that helium continues to ticker implicit them. I cognize helium will. And he'll support them safe," his sister said.
The vigil adjacent touched the hearts of chap instrumentality enforcement officers crossed departments. Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue said his section is blessed to assistance Chowchilla with thing they whitethorn request arsenic they process Barrantes' death.
"It was truly touching, especially when you spot each those flames lifted successful the air, each those hearts conscionable present with the family. It's truly touching to spot that assemblage travel unneurotic and beryllium present with our Chowchilla Police Department," Pogue said.
The ceremonial for Officer Barrantes volition instrumentality spot successful Chowchilla connected Oct. 16.
