Tipton, CA – On the evening of Monday, September 28, 2026, a multi-vehicle collision resulted in the death of California Highway Patrol Officer Brian Liles, 44, according to ABC30.
The California Highway Patrol reports that the accident took place just after 5:00 PM on northbound Highway 99 and Highway 190.
Authorities said Officer Liles was riding his patrol motorcycle when it collided with a truck-tractor. He was ejected from the motorcycle and subsequently struck by a passing vehicle. He sustained major injuries and, despite life-saving efforts, died at the scene.
The crash forced a full closure of the freeway, with multiple law enforcement units remaining on scene.
Officer Liles, a 16-year veteran of the CHP, marked the agency’s first line-of-duty loss since 2020. He joined the agency in 2010 and was assigned to the San Jose area after graduating from the CHP Academy, later serving the Hayward and Fresno communities before transferring to Visalia in 2019. In 2025, he became one of the first motorcycle officers assigned to the Visalia area following motorcycle training at the Academy.
Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statement mourning Officer Liles’s death, calling him dedicated to serving and protecting Californians and extending condolences to his family, friends, and CHP colleagues. He is survived by his wife, two children, his parents, and two sisters.
Tulare County Motorcycle Accidents and Wrongful Death Claims
Investigators with California law enforcement will examine the actions of both the truck driver and the driver of the vehicle that struck Officer Liles after his ejection to determine what role each may have played in his death. Officer Liles’s family may have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim, which can provide compensation for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, loss of consortium, and other damages related to the fatal accident.
Tulare County Wrongful Death Lawyer
If you or someone you love was harmed in an accident like the one described here, on Highway 99 at Highway 190 in Tipton, contact a California wrongful death lawyer for any questions or to receive a no-cost, no-obligation case assessment.
