Police Officer James Williams Branson Jr.
St Louis Police Department
Missouri
End of Watch: Sunday, March 9, 2003

Biographical Info
Age: 36
Tour of Duty: 4 years, 6 months
Badge Number:

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Automobile

Police Officer Branson died of an injury he received when he was involved in a motor vehicle accident while in pursuit of a stolen vehicle.

Officer Branson and his partner spotted a vehicle that had been taken a few hours earlier in a car jacking. When the officers attempted to stop the vehicle, a pursuit began. During the pursuit, the officer's police cruiser collided with a sport utility vehicle whose driver did not see the patrol car.

Officer Branson was treated for a broken ankle and had surgery on the ankle on February 14, 2003. Officer Branson was sent home to recover. On March 9, 2003, Officer Branson died of a pulmonary embolism caused by a massive blood clot that traveled from his ankle to his heart and lungs.

Officer Branson had been with the St. Louis Police Department for four years, and is survived by his wife and four children.

Micheal Lynn Newton
Missouri Highway Patrol
Missouri
End of Watch: Thursday, May 22, 2003

Biographical Info
Age: 25
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Badge Number: 799

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Automobile Accident

Trooper Newton was killed when his patrol car, a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria, was struck from behind while he was making a traffic stop on the shoulder of I-70 near Odessa, Missouri at 0700 hours.

The patrol car burst into flames upon impact and Trooper Newton was trapped inside. The driver of the vehicle he had stopped and the driver of the truck that struck his patrol car were both injured in the accident.

Trooper Newton was assigned to Troop A in Lee's Summit and had been with the Missouri State Highway Patrol for over two years. He is survived by his wife and two young sons.