Jimmy Wayne Mobley
Agency patch
Detective

Jimmy Wayne Mobley

Virginia Beach Police Department — Virginia Beach, VA
Accident
End of Watch July 11, 1979
Age 36
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
The Vigil Panel 121 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Jimmy Mobley and Officer William Black were killed in a helicopter accident. The helicopter crashed in the Atlantic Ocean between Croatan and Dam Neck. They were leading a rescue boat to the scene of a disabled boat using their spotlight. During the operation, the helicopter dove into the ocean. Detective Mobley had served with the Virginia Beach Police Department for 12 years and had been awarded Officer of the Year in 1977.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, daughter, and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-7AEC91D9
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
April 2, 2026
Last updated
July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Mobley gave the Virginia Beach Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Virginia Beach community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Mobley.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Location Virginia Beach, VA
Platform Identity vbpd.virginiabeach.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 11, 1979
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Age 36
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Detective Jimmy Wayne Mobley is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In VA, 203 of 654 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31% of this state's fallen.

At Virginia Beach Police Department, 4 of 12 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.

Virginia Beach Police Department
4
of 12 officers
33.3% Accident
VA — Statewide
203
of 654 officers
31% Accident
Nationwide
10,088
of 32,508 officers
31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Jimmy Wayne Mobley's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Jimmy Wayne Mobley Compares

Age at End of Watch
36
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
12
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Jimmy Wayne Mobley is highlighted in Jul.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
707
May
847
Jun
795
Jul
897
Aug
937
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location