It has been nearly three years since Davis Police Officer Natalie Corona, a native of Arbuckle, was killed in the line of duty – and her sacrifice will never be forgotten.
Officials from the California Department of Transportation, members of the State Legislature, and Corona’s family on Thursday unveiled the new freeway signs emblazoned with the fallen officer’s name, designating a stretch of Interstate 5 through her hometown as a memorial highway.
Corona was 22 years old when she was gunned down on Jan. 10, 2019, while she was investigating a traffic incident. She had just completed her field training a few weeks earlier, when a gunman approached the area on a bicycle, fatally shot Corona, and fired upon firefighters at the scene and at nearby homes before fleeing the scene. He later took his own life.
“We hope that this dedication will memorialize Officer Corona and remind all of us of her beautiful life – and her commitment to service and the community,” said Assembly Member Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D- Winters, who spearheaded the dedication.
Motorists traveling along Interstate 5 through Corona’s hometown may not know Corona by name or that she was considered a promising new star in law enforcement, but the roadway signs, which have now been installed on both sides of Interstate-5, serve as a reminder of her sacrifice.
Passengers, however, may take a moment to look up her name, see her beautiful smile immortalized in photographs, read her story, and learn what she meant to the department, the community, and to her family and friends, said Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel, who remembered the young officer fondly.
“Her legacy is going to continue on forever,” Pytel said. “(The sign) is a really fitting and beautiful tribute. It really is a way to keep her name out there for every one to remember – and also to learn. That is really important.”
While the sign is a memorial, the dedication ceremony was a moment of celebration of the young woman who contributed so much in the short time she was on earth, and made the ultimate sacrifice in service to others, according to Sen. Jim Nielsen, who also spoke at Thursday’s ceremony, which was held at LaVanche Hursh Park in Officer Corona’s hometown.
“Natalie walked that (thin blue) line for us and it’s appropriate we thank her again today,” Nielsen said. “Don’t just remember Natalie today, but keep her in your minds and in your hearts always.”
The dedication was well attended by area law enforcement agencies, Assemblyman James Gallagher, Colusa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gary Evans, Supervisors Denise Carter and Daurice Smith, and many other area agencies.
Gallagher said Officer Corona was dedicated to serving others and had a passion for law enforcement.
“Following in the footsteps of her father, (Natalie) saw that dedication every day of law enforcement, who went out every day and put their lives on the line, so we could be safe…” Gallagher said. “I think what maybe hurts the most for all of us is that passion got cut too early; the amazing things we know she would have done. We know that in her short life, she did more than most could ever do.”
Colusa County Supervisor Merced Corona, Natalie’s father, her mother, Lupe, and two of her three sisters, Cindy and Cathy, also attended the dedication to unveil the sign. ■
Editors Note: This story has been updated from its original printed version.