VACAVILLE – Matthew Bowen, a current Vacaville police officer and former Concord police officer, was hit and killed during a traffic stop Thursday morning in Vacaville, according to authorities.
The fatal collision happened around 10:25 a.m. at Leisure Town Road and Orange Drive.
Bowen, a motorcycle officer, was conducting a traffic stop when he was hit from behind by another vehicle, the California Highway Patrol Golden Gate Division said in a news release.
The driver, identified as a 24-year-old Auburn woman, tried to leave the scene on foot, but she was detained by people who witnessed the collision, according to the CHP.
An investigation revealed the woman was driving her vehicle under the influence of drugs, the CHP said. She was booked into Solano County jail on felony charges of murder and DUI causing injury.
Bowen was taken to Kaiser Permanente in Vacaville, where he died of his injuries.
The officer joined the Vacaville Police Department on June 13, 2023. He previously served as an officer in Concord.
“He has served with the highest level of dedication and honor, and his loss is deeply felt by the department, the city and the community,” the Vacaville Police Department said in a news release.
Bowen is survived by his wife, two sons, parents and brother.
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