Michael L. Petrella
Agency patch
Private

Michael L. Petrella

Accident
End of Watch September 25, 1965
Age 27
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
The Vigil Panel 100 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Private Michael Petrella was killed in a motorcycle crash on Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C., during a period of rain. His motorcycle struck the side of a car next to him. He was transported to George Washington Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Private Petrella had served with the United States Park Police for six years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two sons, and mother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-51ECBD80
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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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Private Petrella gave the United States Department of the Interior 6 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Private Petrella.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdiusppd.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 25, 1965
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
Age 27
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Private Michael L. Petrella is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In DC, 453 of 1,418 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.9% of this state's fallen. That is 31.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At United States Department of the Interior - United States Park Police, 7 of 13 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 53.8% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of the Interior - United States Park Police
7
of 13 officers
53.8% Accident
DC — Statewide
453
of 1,418 officers
31.9% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Michael L. Petrella's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Michael L. Petrella Compares

Age at Death
27
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
6
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Michael L. Petrella is highlighted in Sep.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
708
May
848
Jun
797
Jul
899
Aug
938
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location