Memorial Service Held For Laguna Beach Motor Officer Killed In Crash

IRVINE (CBSLA.com) — A memorial service was held Friday for a Laguna Beach motor officer who was killed in the line of duty.

Attorney General Kamala Harris was among those who attended the service for 41-year-old Jon Coutchie at Mariner's Church in Irvine.

"Officer Coutchie's whole life exemplified service to his city, to his community and to his family," Harris said.

Coutchie died when his motorcycle collided with a Chevrolet pickup truck just after 11:30 p.m. Sept. 21 on South Coast Highway.

He was reportedly traveling at a high rate of speed while responding to a reckless driving call, officials said.

Coutchie was the first Laguna Beach officer to die in the line of duty in 60 years. He was born in Tuscon, Ariz., grew up in Orange County and graduated from Laguna Hills High School in 1989.

He joined the military after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and became an U.S. Army Ranger during his four tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2003 to 2007.

Police officials sponsored him at the Goldenwest Police Academy in 2008, and he was sworn in to the police department in March 2009.

The department says Coutchie was selected to serve as a motor officer, a coveted position, in March of 2013.

He is survived by his mother, father, brother, stepsister and girlfriend of six years.

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