Cowboys Honor Ride Mourns Slain Deputy

Nov. 21, 2016
Grief for the man and support for his work brought riders from the Bay Area to Hughson together for a Cowboys Honor Ride in remembrance of Stanislaus County sheriff’s Deputy Dennis Wallace, killed in the line of duty Nov. 13.

HUGHSON, California -- Grief for the man and support for his work brought riders from the Bay Area to Hughson together for a Cowboys Honor Ride in remembrance of Stanislaus County sheriff’s Deputy Dennis Wallace, killed in the line of duty Nov. 13.

About 50 people gathered in the pouring rain Sunday morning, mounting horses for the procession, a wagon at its head and a cleanup cart following behind.

“Dennis Wallace showed up if you called 911, rain or shine. So we’re gonna be there,” organizer Norman Nather told riders before the event.

The unhurried walk, silent except for the clip-clop of hooves, wound through town from just after 11 a.m. for about an hour. Riders passed the annual 20th Century Club’s arts and crafts fair being held at Hughson High and got a wave and applause at Hamilton’s diner as they started down the flag-lined main street, Hughson Avenue.

All wore deep blue ribbons, a symbol in memory of the deputy, slain as he answered a call at Fox Grove Park near Hughson. Blue ribbons can be seen all around town, tied to tree trunks, light poles, porch railings and schoolyard fences.

Something like this is not supposed to happen in a little town like this. Frank Assali

“It’s really sad. I can’t believe he’s not around,” said Frank Assali, who volunteered his hulling facility for the procession staging area. “Something like this is not supposed to happen in a little town like this.”

Fellow officer Stephanie Chavez said Wallace had been a friend. “He was a great guy,” she said. “He was an awesome man, a goofball in the office. We’d be laughing, in tears, from what he did. But he was an awesome man.”

“I ran cross country. He was always there, blocking traffic. He was at football games, all the school activities,” said rider Anne Estevam.

Brian Holloway, manning the hot coffee and doughnut station by his horse trailer, said Deputy Wallace was a town fixture.

He lived in Hughson. He patrolled in Hughson. He didn’t have any kids of his own, so he took the role of everybody’s dad. Brian Holloway

“Dennis, he was involved in everything. He lived in Hughson. He patrolled in Hughson. He didn’t have any kids of his own, so he took the role of everybody’s dad,” Holloway said. “He does so much, and everybody in town considers him a friend.”

Nather lives in Livermore and never knew Wallace, but came to Hughson after hearing of the deputy’s death. “I was in Louisiana when those four police officers were slaughtered in Houston,” he said.“I swore if we lost a police officer within 100 miles of me, I was going to do something.”

They got the procession permit and started a Facebook page on Tuesday, said Leah Highland of Livermore. “People are here from all over,” she said.

Rider Melissa Austin of Pleasanton said she came to show her support for all the officers who put their lives on the line. “I’m doing this in support of peace and community, family and friends,” Austin said.

“This has got to stop,” said rider Angela Wallimann. “I’m just supporting our law enforcement.”

SERVICES: The funeral service for Stanislaus County sheriff’s Deputy Dennis Wallace will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at CrossPoint Church, 1301 12th St., Modesto. Following the church service there will be a procession from the church to Lakewood Memorial Park, 900 Santa Fe Ave. in Hughson, where there will be a graveside service.

Both services are open to the community and will be live-streamed on the department’s Facebook page, http://facebook.com/StanSheriff, and YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/user/StanSheriff.

TRAFFIC: Expect major traffic tie-ups near downtown Modesto all day Tuesday. The following streets will be closed from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday: Needham Street between College Avenue and McHenry Avenue; 12th Street between Needham Street and L Street; M Street between Needham Street and 11th Street.

Eleventh Street in Modesto and other streets along the route will close for the procession following the service. Expect delays on Yosemite Boulevard and Mitchell Road in Modesto. In Ceres, the memorials will affect Mitchell Road, Hatch Road, Faith Home Road and Whitmore Avenue. In Hughson, expect delays along Whitmore and Santa Fe avenues.

FUNDRAISER: Two Texas Roadhouse restaurants will donate 10 percent of all food sales Monday and Tuesday from patrons who mention this fundraiser to the Wallace family trust. The restaurants participating are at 3037 Sisk Road, Modesto, and 2422 Naglee Road, Tracy.

Copyright 2016 The Modesto Bee  

Tribune News Service

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