Michael Yugo Dies

by Jack

I was more than a little stunned when I read today that my old friend Michael Yugo from BCSO just died at his home in Missouri. He was 65. Mike and I had parallel careers, his was in the Sheriff’s Office and I was with the City of Oroville. We were both known for being aggressive and making good arrests. We both rose quickly to the rank of sergeant. Many times we served as backup for each other because our departments were spread pretty thin, so we covered each other, it didn’t matter what uniform we wore or where the jurisdiction lines fell. If we were close enough, we just backed each other up, no question about it.

Mike and I once did an exhibition of unarmed combat, demonstrating a number of law enforcement take down holds in the public safety booth at the fairgrounds and signing up potential police recruits.

I recall another time when I was rolling Code 3 to cover him on a man with gun call. Mike shot the gun out of the man’s hand seconds before I rolled in. He joked about his great skill as a gun fighter after that and I joked right back about he had a lot of dumb luck. We were both right, but behind the jokes we were both relieved it ended without anyone getting seriously hurt. Mike frequently made headlines for his crime fighting exploits, sometimes it was done at great personal risk. I used to caution him that he took to many chances, but he would just laugh it off (typical Marine) and then he would accuse me of doing the same thing.

It was not unusual that after some very intense swing-shifts we would find ourselves (and other off duty officers) at our favorite watering hole. We would be talking over the nights activities or telling our old war stories and we would make the sickest jokes ever told. This would be over things that would make some people want to throw up. But, that’s what you did to relieve the stress. You had too or you wouldn’t make it very far in this business. There was a lot craziness back then. Sometimes that craziness put you through a roller coaster of emotions. One week could be a mix of sad, scary, brutal, horrifying, boring, and sometimes just plain sick. That’s about the best I can describe it. But, we tried to balance this craziness with our cop jokes, or our BS stories and plenty of cold beer after work. Maybe there’s a better way today, but back then that’s all we had.

Semper Fi Mike…

MICHAEL J. YUGO Michael J. Yugo, 65, beloved husband and father, died at his Missouri home on Nov. 16, 2013. Mike is survived by his wife, Gale, sons Skylar and Jacob Yugo, step-son and daughter, Seth and Emily Lantz, and 8 grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Kathleen Yugo, God-son and nephew Michael Catren, nephew Joseph Catren, and nieces Rachel Catren and Mary Catren . Mike is preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Ruth E. Yugo. Mike graduated from Oroville High School in 1966 and joined the US Marine Corp shortly thereafter. He served as a helicopter gunner in the Vietnam War and returned home a decorated hero. From 1971-1985 Mike proudly served the residents of Butte County as a Deputy with the Butte Co. Sheriff’s Department. He retired from the department as a Sargent. A memorial service is scheduled at 2:00 PM April 30 at the Calvary Baptist Church, 2377 Foothill Blvd. Oroville, CA. Internment will take place May 1, at 2:30 PM at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, California. – See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/chicoer/obituary.aspx?n=michael-j-yugo&pid=170722928#sthash.sLiqG9pi.dpuf