Officer Michael Lloyd Rainford, Garden Grove Police Department, California

Officer Michael Lloyd Rainford

Garden Grove Police Department, California

End of Watch Friday, November 7, 1980

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Michael Lloyd Rainford

Officer Michael Rainford was struck and killed by a drunk driver on the Garden Grove Freeway near Harbor Boulevard.

He had just made a traffic stop and was exiting his patrol car when the drunk driver crashed into the back of his vehicle and then struck him. He was thrown 30 yards by the impact.

A 42-year-old woman was later apprehended and charged with drunk driving, hit-and-run, and manslaughter.

Officer Rainford had served with the Garden Grove Police Department as a full-time officer for six months and had previously served as a reserve officer for two years. He was survived by his expectant wife.

Bio

Age 23
Tour 2 years, 6 months
Badge Not available

Incident Details

Cause Vehicular assault
Weapon Automobile; Alcohol involved
Offender Charged with manslaughter

Impaired Driver, traffic stop

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Most Recent Reflection

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My neighbor’s bike and my bike were stolen near the gym at Santiago High School around September of 1980. A couple weeks later I saw one of the individuals with some of my bike parts on another bike at a daytime football game there and called my dad. He called the GG police and Officer Rainford showed up and met us near the front office where my dad had the individual. I had serial numbers that matched up and Officer Rainford made his arrest. Within a week, Officer Rainford surprisingly pulled up into my driveway in his police car with both my neighbor’s and my bike in the trunk of his car completely put back together. What a great person he was. I still have that BMX bike and think about how fortunate I was to have such a kind officer that went out his way to make sure that every single part was accounted for, the bikes were put back together, and he himself brought them to us. RIP Officer Rainford

Kraig Morris
Citizen

October 31, 2020