Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer John Driscoll succumbed to injuries sustained when he fell from the running board of a car traveling on Summer Street in Holyoke at 10:00 pm. While on patrol on Main Street, Officer Driscoll witnessed a vehicle driving erratically. He commandeered a vehicle to pursue a car with a suspected drunk driver. After overtaking the suspect car, the vehicle began to slow down. Officer Driscoll lost his footing and fell from the car when he thought the vehicle had come to a complete stop on Summer Street. A reserve officer apprehended the driver on Cabot Street and returned to Summer Street, where he found Officer Driscoll in and out of consciousness. He was taken to the police station, where he lapsed into unconsciousness and died of his injuries two days later at the House of Providence Hospital. The driver of the car Officer Driscoll was pursuing was found guilty of operating while under the influence of intoxicating liquor. His license and registration were revoked, and he was fined $100 for operating an automobile under the influence of liquor and $15 for drunkenness. Officer Driscoll had been with the Holyoke Police Department for five years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, five children, and parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MA-7D1CE833- 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.
Police Officer Driscoll gave the Holyoke Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Holyoke community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Driscoll.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer John P. Driscoll 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 MA, 158 of 469 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.7% of this state's fallen. That is 2.7 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Holyoke Police Dept., 3 of 6 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. John P. Driscoll's cause is highlighted.
How John P. Driscoll Compares
Offender Outcome
Fined $115
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. John P. Driscoll is highlighted in Apr.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
5 officers from Holyoke Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw.
