Lea este articulo en español aquí.
Former San Benito County Chief Probation Officer Joseph (Joe) Frontella, 58, died Feb. 29 following a bicycle accident earlier in the month.
While cycling on Feb. 8, Frontella was struck by a vehicle moving at a high speed, Sheriff Eric Taylor told BenitoLink. He added Frontella had been in Mercy Hospital in Merced, where he believes the incident occurred, and was in a medically induced coma.
Taylor said that on Feb. 28 it was clear there was nothing more that could be medically done to save him. He was placed in palliative care and died just after 5 p.m. the next day.
“Joe was a great guy and loved the community. He loved working with youth,” Taylor said.
According to Chief Probation Officer Ashlyn Canez, Frontella retired after 28 years of service to the field of probation in 2023.
On Sept. 29, 2023, Ashlyn Canez was sworn in as the new Chief Probation Officer for the county. According to Taylor, she and Frontella had a good working relationship and that Frontella had guided Canez on her path to the top office.
In a statement, Canez said Frontella was hired as the Superintendent of the San Benito County Juvenile Hall on July 20, 2015. He was promoted to assistant chief probation officer on Nov. 5, 2017, was subsequently appointed chief probation officer of San Benito County by retired judge Sanders on March 10, 2019 and retired from the county’s probation department on Nov. 25, 2023.
She added that shortly after retirement Frontella was sworn in as a commissioner for the Juvenile Justice Commission in Merced County. He also joined the board of directors of the program Sacred Rok and was working to assist the Monterey County Probation Department in bringing a new program to the juvenile facility.
“He was passionate about being of service to others and helping justice-involved youth,” Canez said.
She said Frontella was an instrumental part of the San Benito County Probation Department team and that he invested much time and effort in helping the San Benito County community.
“He was a strong advocate for the San Benito County Youth Services Center and often spoke of the noble profession that probation staff undertake,” Canez said.
“He was a true professional, a kind person that could make you laugh with his quick-witted humor, and overall, a very compassionate human being,” Canez said. “As his successor, I have big shoes to fill, and I feel very fortunate to have spent eight years working alongside him. His mentorship within the Probation Department has left a legacy that will continue onward.”
The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sacred Rok in honor of Frontella.
We need your help. Support local, nonprofit news! BenitoLink is a nonprofit news website that reports on San Benito County. Our team is committed to this community and providing essential, accurate information to our fellow residents. It is expensive to produce local news and community support is what keeps the news flowing. Please consider supporting BenitoLink, San Benito County’s public service, nonprofit news.
