During the morning of May 7, 2010, Officer Daniel Benavides, I.D. #15193, was flying California Highway Patrol (CHP) AIR-63, a Cessna 206 fix winged aircraft, patrolling Imperial County. At approximately 1030 hours, for unknown reasons, Air 63 crashed into the rugged terrain near Ocotillo Wells, west of Brawley, CA. After a heroic search and rescue operation by several law enforcement agencies, the military, and United States Bureau of Land Management personnel, Officer Daniel N. Benavides was found deceased in the wreckage. Officer Benavides graduated from the CHP Academy in March of 1997 and was assigned to the Monterey Area. He worked in the San Jose Area, San Diego Area, Oceanside Area, and transferred to Border Division Air Operations in September 2005. Office Benavides is survived by his wife, Megan and daughter, Madeline; mother and step-father Consuelo and Forrest.
