Nevada Highway Patrolman killed in Lake Tahoe in 1975 honored

The date was October 14, 1975. Tropper Gary Gifford was on duty for the Nevada Highway Patrol when the First National Bank of Nevada in Round Hill was robbed. The armed gunman escaped and left by car on Highway 50 towards Cave Rock. At noon, just before the tunnel, Tropper Gifford pulled over the robbery suspect.

There was an altercation between Gifford and the suspect when the tropper was shot and killed. The suspect was able to force another man to drive him around the lake to Kings Beach where he took four people hostage. Later that evening the suspect surrendered to authorities.

October 14, 2015 marked the 40th anniversary of the first Nevada Highway Patrolman to lose his life in the line of duty in what then was a 26 year history of the department.

Several patrolmen of the Nevada Highway Patrol who were working at the time of the tragedy gathered in Zephyr Cove on Wednesday October 14th, 2015 to honor their fellow patrolman. Many stories and fond memories were shared among the former patrolmen. Also in attendance was Highway Patrolman Gary Gifford's son James who was five years old at the time of his father’s death. A sign along Highway 50 commemorates a portion of the road between Spooner Summit and Stateline which is dedicated to Patrolman Gary Gifford.