Patterson Cemetery District, Stanislaus County, CA 

Submitted by Gale Stroud and Burta Herger 26 Aug 2007

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Gonzales Daniel 961219 p1
Trucker Killed by Rock  Had Roots in Patterson;  The truck driver killed early Sunday morning when hit in the head by a
rock near Denair had roots in the Patterson area.  Daniel Gonzales graduated from Patterson High School in 1978.  He
was an outstanding wrestler for the Tiger teams and was well-liked by his classmates, remembers Leonard DeLeon, who
graduated with Gonzales.  "He was my best friend in high school," DeLeon recalled this week, and noted that Gonzales,
37, was in Patterson two Saturdays ago and attended a novice wrestling meet hosted by the Tigers.  CHP officials are still
investigating the accident which occurred on Keyes Road near Denair about 3:10 a.m. Sunday.  Gonzales was a 15 year
employee of Foster Farms and was driving a milk tanker to a dairy for his first stop of the morning.
Hit in Jaw
A two pound rock was either thrown at his truck or was kicked up on the roadway.  It struck him in the jaw, which
reportedly was broken in 12 places  The truck then left the roadway and sheared off a utility pole before knocking down
several trees and coming to a stop near a hog pen.  The rig did not overturn.  The rock was found inside the cab.  The
CHP is requesting that anyone with information about rocks being thrown in that area call 545-7440.
Services Set
Services for Gonzales have been set, according to the Lakewood Funeral Home in Hughson which is handling the
arrangements.  A rosary will be recited today, Thursday, at 6:30 p.m. at the Lakewood chapel.  Visitation will be
Thursday from 4-8 p.m. at the chapel.  A Mass will be celebrated Friday at 9:30 a.m. at St. Joseph s Catholic Church,
1813 Oakdale Rd. in Modesto.  Burial in Lakewood Memorial Park will follow.  He was a member of the truckers union
local and of St. Joseph s Church.  Survivors include his wife, Lisa Marie Gonzales of Modesto; two children, Stanley and
Steven Gonzales of Modesto; his parents, Alfonso and Emma Gonzales of Grayson; a brother, Jaime Gonzales of
Colorado; and two sisters, Donna Gonzales of Grayson and Cindy Rivera of Patterson.