SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Family, friends and the community gathered to pay last respects to a Santa Maria Police officer killed on duty. Hundreds of people showed up for funeral services for Officer Albert Covarrubias Jr.
The 29 year old Covarrubias was shot and killed by a fellow officer and his best friend on the force, Matt Kline, early in the morning on January 29.
Santa Maria Police say it happened after other officers were trying to arrest Covarrubias on charges of sexual misconduct with a 17 year old girl.
Police say Covarrubias resisted arrest, fired his gun and a return shot was fired by Officer Kline.
Denied a traditional police funeral because of the circumstances surrounding his death, friends of the Covarrubias family wanted to make sure his procession through town did not go unnoticed.
There may not have been an official police motorcade for Albert Covarrubias Jr. but his father's friends in local motorcycle clubs showed up in force to do their part for the funeral procession
"His father is a member of the Carnales Motorcycle Club and we're friends with the Carnales", says Bernard Duque of the Gold Coast Wheelers, "so we decided to ride up today and support him and his family."
So many people showed up for the funeral at the Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary that an overflow crowd had to stand outside in the parking lot.
Some shared their memories of Albert Jr.
"Very nice guy, very nice, as far as I know yes", said long time family Friend Hector Garcia.
"Real outgoing, good motorcycle rider", Duque added, "just an all in all good guy."
"Great kid", said family friend Ben Valenzuela, "I always wondered why he wanted to become a policeman, but I guess it was his choice, his father said he was very excited when he learned he was accepted."
The lack of a traditional police funeral for Officer Covarrubias was on the minds of many.
"Seems like he was convicted before he had a chance to go to trial", Valenzuela added, "it's like guilty just because of association."
"The whole situation, where it went down, why it went down, out in the public", Duque says, "all that kind of stuff was real unusual."
The dozens of motorcycles guided the funeral procession to the Santa Maria Cemetery for the burial
Albert Covarrubias Sr. said he was not surprised to see so many show up for his son's funeral.
"Being in a brotherhood, this is what a brotherhood does", says Albert Sr. says, "a brotherhood supports family and a brotherhood supports a brother that's in mourning, that's what my brothers are doing here, they are supporting me."
The shooting death of Officer Covarrubias is under investigation by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department while another outside agency conducts an internal department investigation.
SMPD Chief Dan Macagni tells Central Coast News Officer Covarrubias was not afforded a full police department funeral for a fallen officer on duty because he fired his weapon on other officers as they were trying to arrest him.
