SAN DIMAS, Calif. — The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is mourning the death of a San Dimas deputy who died from a medical emergency during a law enforcement relay race in the Mojave Desert.
The annual Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay Race has teams from various law enforcement agencies run 120 miles from Baker, through the desert, to Las Vegas.
The sheriff’s department says Deputy Levi Vargas died on Saturday during the race. He was 30 years old.
The department says Vargas received medical care, but ultimately passed away from his injuries. Further details about what happened were not immediately available.
According to authorities, Vargas joined the department in 2015 as a custody assistant and later graduated from Academy Class 413, serving in several assignments before landing at the San Dimas Station.
“He was known among his colleagues and friends for his professionalism, commitment, and compassion to our communities,” the sheriff’s department wrote.
Video shows his body being transported from a Las Vegas hospital to the morgue with a full law enforcement procession.
His family says Vargas will be flown back to Southern California on Monday.
Deputy Vargas is survived by his wife, parents and siblings.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department mourns the loss of Deputy Levi Vargas, who passed away on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at the age of 30.
Deputy Vargas joined the Department in 2015 as a Custody Assistant and later graduated from Academy Class 413. He served in several… pic.twitter.com/8k2iKnhWhP
— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) March 29, 2026
