Beat up PSPD patrol car gifted to family member

Nearly three years after the deaths of two Palm Springs Police officers in the line of duty, stories continue to emerge about their legacy and sacrifice in the community.

Unit 48 was the last car Lesley Zerebny drove for PSPD before she and fellow officer Gil Vega gave their lives in service on Oct. 8, 2016.

The patrol car has a new owner, and a new purpose.

It does not look like much right now.

“No it doesn’t it,” agrees David Kling, walking around the unit. “It has a lot of damage to the right front.”

Side mirrors are dangling, the dashboard is stripped, and the paint is faded by the sun.

“Even though it’s wrecked,” nods Kling. “Even though it’s an old car. It is precious to us.”

Kling cannot wait to take the patrol car home from the city yard where it’s collected rust and dust.

“I can imagine Lesley behind the wheel of this. The pride she felt when she first got in,” says Kling.

Kling’s daughter, Lesley Zerebny, drove the unit until the day she died alongside Officer Gil Vega while trying to help a family deal with their son. During the killer’s capital murder trial, Kling says he got an idea.

“Looking at photographs of the crime scene,” he recalls, “And I saw her car there, and it just occurred to me, I wondered what happened to the car?”

Lesley’s car, number 48, was not damaged in the gunfire, and was put back into service until the officer driving it got involved in a collision.

Instead of letting it go to auction, where its salvaged value was assessed at $500, Kling asked to buy it.

“When I was informed that Mr. Kling wanted to acquire it,” reports City Manager David Ready, “Our Procurement Manager informed me that by Ordinance, under special circumstances, the City Council could waive the price.”

“Basically it will be a cost of zero to her father, to her family,” explained Ready during last week’s City Council meeting.

As the council voted unanimously to give the car to the Klings, the audience burst into applause.

“I’s literally an honor,” states Kling. “Just the wonderful city council to let us have it.”

“Palm Springs was forever changed, when we lost our Officers,” added Ready. “It was important to the City Council that we take any opportunity to never forget their sacrifice, and always support the families whenever possible.”

Kling, a retired CHP officer, joined the department as a sworn officer after his daughter’s death. First working at the airport, he now helps with evidence and property.

“For my flat badge they actually gave me Lesley’s number, which was 35,” he says. “Means the world to me.”

Kling says his daughter had a tremendous sense of humor.

“And very ironic,” he adds. “And she and I would laugh all the time, and I know she would think this is hilarious that we would have her car and keep it.”

He sees the care, where Lesley used to send her father pictures while she was on patrol as, “a big black and white reminder of how much she loved this department and this city.”

Kling explains he will take the patrol car to a body shop, fix it up and store it in a barn they are building on the property. “Along with pictures of her.”

“We’ve discovered little things that Lesley had and left at our house. Earrings, bracelets, written notes, and all of it is precious to us because we love her so much, and now we’ve got a big reminder of her, which would be the patrol car at our house,” he adds.