MOTOR OFFICER SAFETY AND ACCIDENTS
Officer Lesile
G. Chamberlin, Douglas County, NE
Omaha Officer Lesile G. Chamberlin died at about 8:10 p.m. on Monday, July 29, 1935, from
injuries suffered in a motorcycle crash that occured at about 10:30 p.m. the previous night as Chamberlin pursued a speeding
vehicle. A car traveling east on Dodge Street near 48th stopped to let chamberlin's partner, Officer Fred Drefs, pass.
As the car began to turn left into a vacant lot at 4820 Dodge Street, Chamberlin's motorcycle crashed into the car.
Chamberlin was 22 years old and survived by his wife, Mildred.
Officer Richard E. Leyden, Lancaster County
Lincoln Police Motorcycle Officer
Richard E. Leyden died at about 9:30p.m. on Monday, September 26, 1949, of injuries suffered in an auto accident. The
accident occured at about 7:10 p.m. on 16th Street between "G" and "H". Officer Leyden's motorcycle
struck the left front end of a pickup truck and he was thrown from the vehicle, suffering severe head injuries. Leyden
was to be married just six days later.
Officer John E. Costello, Douglas County
Omaha Police Motyorcycle Officer John E. Costello died from injuries sustained when his police
motorcycle collided with a car near 48th and Center on May 22, 2961. Officer Costello was on patrol heading eastbound
when a small, foreign car turned left in front of him. Officer Costello remained ina comauntil he passed away
at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 31, 1961. He was 33 years old and survived by his wife, Rita, and five children.
Information above provided by Nebraska Office
of Highway Safety and the Nebraska Law Enforcement Memorial.
In 1998, Arizona DPS Motor Officer Doug Knutson
was killed in the line of duty. He was standing by with a disabled motorist in the "Gore Point" when a vehicle cut
the gore and struck him. Doug was an experienced motor officer and recently had an experienced motor struck by an out
of control vehicle while completing a traffic stop on I-17 in Phoenix. He had over 20 years of experience as a motor.
Persons Killed in Crashes Involving Police Motorcycles
