Mile long procession escorts fallen Santa Cruz deputy

The sheriff told KSBW he had known Sgt. Gutzwiller since he was 18

PROCESSION FOR FALLENSANTA CRUZ COUNTYSHERIFFS SERGEANTDAMON GUTZWILLER.POLICE VEHICLESESCORTED THE NEARLYMILE LONG ROUTE FROMTHE SANTA CRUZCOUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICETO A SANTA CRUZMORTUARY.TONIGHT ACTIONNEWS EIGHT REPORTERPHIL GOMEZ, GIVES ALITTLE INSITE INTOSERGEANT GUTZWILLERAND WHAT WE KNOWABOUT HIS MEMORIALSINCE HIS DEATHSATURDAY, AN HONORGUARD HAS STOODWATCH OVER SERGEANTDAMON GUTZWILLER.A REMINDER OF WHATTHE COMMUNITY SAWWHEN TWO SANTA CRUZPOLICE OFFICERS WEREKILLED IN THE LINE OFDUTY SEVEN YEARS AGO.TODAY, NEARLY A MILELONG PROCESSION OFLAW ENFORCEMENTAGENCIES ESCORTED THEFALLEN OFFICER TO ASANTA CRUZ MORTUARY."WE POST A PERSON AS ASECURITY DETAIL TO HONOROUR FALLEN AND IN THISCASE TO HONOR DAMON.AND IT'S SYMBOLIC BUT , ITMEANT TO SHOW THAT WEWON'T FORGET HIM"SHERIFF JIM HART KNEWDAMON SINCE HE WASEIGHTEEN YEARS OLDPROVIDING TRAFFICENFORCEMENT ATCABRILLO COLLEGE.THE SHERIFF'S OFFICEHIRED HIM IN 2006" HE WAS LIGHT HEARTED.WHEN HE WALKED IN THEROOM.THE ROOM LIT UP AND HEWAS THAT GUY.LAST WEEKEND A VIGILWAS HELD TO HONORGUTZWILLER--THESHERIFF'S OFFICE DIDN'TEXPECT THE LARGECROWD OF WELL-WISHERS BECAUSE OFTHE PANDEMIC.NOW THE SHERIFF'SOFFICE HAS BEENCHALLENGED TO FIND ABIG ENOUGH VENUE ANDFOLLOW HEALTHPROTOCOLS FOR ASERVICE SCHEDULED FORSOMETIME NEXT WEEK."WE NEED A BIG VENUE INORDER TO SPREAD OUT ALITTLE BIT ANDACCOMMODATE THETHOUSANDS OF PEPOLE THATARE GOIGN TO BE AT THEEVENT.

WE'RE LOOKINGLOCALLY.

WE'RE LOOKING ATSURROUNDING COUNTIES"DAMON GUTZWILLER,ATTENDED APTOS HIGHSCHOOL HE WAS WITHTHE SHERIFF'S OFFICEFOR FOURTEEN YEARS"IT'S HEARTBREAKING TOKNOW THAT HIS CHILDRENHAVE BEEN ROBBED OFTHEIR FATHER AND THAT HISWIFE WON'T GET TO SEE HIMCOME HOME EVERY NIGHTFROM WORK AND BE WITHHIM TO RAISE A FAMILYTOGETHER.IN SANTA CRUZ, PHILGOMEZ, KSBW ACTIONNEWS EIGHT ##MEANWHILE MANY IN