CHP Sgt. Steve Licon’s commitment to fix problems put him in danger the day he died

California Highway Patrol Sgt. Steve Licon was known as a hard-working officer who got results. He deftly coordinated the air show at March Air Reserve Base, parades and other events.

“If you wanted something done right, you’d give it to Steve,” CHP Inland Division Chief Bill Dance said.

It was that diligence that placed Licon in harm’s way the afternoon of Saturday, April 6, when he was struck and killed by a motorist while writing a ticket on the shoulder of the 15 Freeway in Lake Elsinore.

A close friend and colleague at the CHP’s Riverside office, Officer Scott Wayne, said during Licon’s Tuesday, April 16, funeral that Licon was assigned to a special detail that day to help handle the huge crowds that turned out to view the spectacular poppy bloom.

Licon could have sat back and simply supervised the operation but instead got involved, rolling from one area to the next to check on the officers and logistics, and making traffic stops, Wayne said.

“Steve chose to work rather than sit,” Wayne said. “He was always on the move.”

That sentiment reflected why residents of the Temescal Valley were so fond of Licon.

Jerry Sincich, who is active in community affairs there, said in an interview Friday that Licon was helpful to residents of the area south of Corona where Sincich has lived for 10 years. The CHP handles the many traffic issues faced by those who live there.

Backups on the 15 Freeway prompt motorists to use Temescal Canyon Road as a bypass, Sincich said. “Some days, it’s really horrendous,” he said. Motorists trying to skirt a stop sign on that road created safety hazards, as did truckers parking in the middle lane of Temescal Canyon Road to eat at Tom’s Farms.

Licon was instrumental in fixing those issues, Sincich said.

“He has taken an active role in identifying the issues and then bringing in the resources to make sure those issues were being resolved,” Sincich said. “Through his efforts, we’ve seen some real improvement in the truck traffic stopping and (drivers) getting food and intersections being much more passable.

“There’s an awful lot of community members who feel the loss of Sgt. Licon,” Sincich said.