Incident
Deputy Sheriff Joshua Blyler was killed in an automobile crash while responding to a 911 call at about 3:20 am.
Deputy Blyler had been dispatched to a theft at a convenience store but was diverted to a 911 hang-up call. He was driving his marked patrol car in a non-emergency mode when he lost control and struck a mailbox on Palm Valley Road just west of Bear Pen Road. He went into a drainage ditch, began to overturn, and struck a tree and power pole.
A team from St. John's County Fire Rescue witnessed the crash and worked to save Deputy Blyler, using the jaws of life to free him from the wreckage. Deputy Blyler was flown to Shands Jacksonville Hospital where he died shortly after 5 a.m.
Deputy Blyler had served with the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office for 10 months.
Survivors
He is survived by his parents and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-0CBE2C8E- 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.
Deputy Sheriff Blyler served with the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the St. Augustine community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Blyler.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Joshua Edwin Blyler 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 FL, 313 of 1,008 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.1% of this state's fallen. That is 0.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 12 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joshua Edwin Blyler's cause is highlighted.
How Joshua Edwin Blyler Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Joshua Edwin Blyler is highlighted in May.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
11 officers from St. Johns County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.










