Roll of Honor
Clarence J. Bridwell
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Clarence Bridwell was struck and killed by a vehicle while attempting to remove a fallen tree from the Crystal Lake-McHenry Blacktop near the intersection with Pleasant Hill Road. He had parked his patrol car with its emergency lights activated across the southbound lane to warn approaching traffic of the closure at 12:05 am. An approaching vehicle struck Deputy Bridwell and the patrol car. Deputy Bridwell's body dragged 70-feet and pinned beneath the car that struck him. The 17-year-old driver was charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. Deputy Bridwell had retired from the U.S. Navy after 21 years of service. He had served with the McHenry County Sheriff's Office for 14 months.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-9BB010E5- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Clarence is one person.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Deputy Sheriff Bridwell gave the McHenry County Sheriff's Office 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Woodstock community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Clarence J. Bridwell served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.
Deputy Sheriff Clarence J. Bridwell is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.
In IL, 354 of 1,318 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 26.9% of this state's fallen. That is 26.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At McHenry County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 4 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Clarence J. Bridwell's cause is highlighted.
How Clarence J. Bridwell Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Clarence J. Bridwell is highlighted in Jul.
Incident Location
Military Service
Clarence J. Bridwell served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.
Visit Clarence J. Bridwell’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from McHenry County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
