Officer William M. "Mike" Freeman

William M. "Mike" Freeman

Officer Mike Freeman and Officer Roy Blecher were shot and killed while patrolling together on I-80 in West Sacramento.

Their bodies were found after making a traffic stop at approximately 3:00 a.m. Investigators found a sign of a struggle. Officer Blecher was found with his hands handcuffed behind his back and shot once in the head. Officer Freeman had been shot five times.

The suspect was eventually apprehended and sentenced to life. He died in prison on April 16, 2016.

Officer Freeman had served with the California Highway Patrol for 12 years. He is survived by his wife and two children. Two of his brothers had also served with the California Highway Patrol.

In 1994, an elevated portion of Interstate 80, known as the Yolo Causeway, was designated the Blecher-Freeman Memorial Causeway in honor of the fallen officers.