Walter O. Womeldorf

Columbus Division of Police — Columbus, OH

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch May 29, 1925

Age 29

The Vigil Panel 49 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 58

Incident

Detective Spike Womeldorf was accidentally shot and killed by a fellow officer during a gunfight with bootleggers on Naghten Street and Cleveland Avenue in Columbus at 5:30 p.m. Three federal agents and officers from the Columbus Division of Police raided the home of a suspected bootlegger. The subject dumped five gallons of liquor down the sink and fired on officers, striking one in the leg. When the suspect fled the house, officers pursued the suspect, and a gunfight ensued. A four-year-old boy playing outside was struck in the shoulder. Detective Womeldorf was shot in the back and died instantly. The bootlegging suspect was apprehended. Detective Womeldorf was a United States Army WWI military police veteran servingas a motor officer in Belgium and France.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OH-7CF05502
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 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.
Detective Womeldorf served with the Columbus Division of Police.
Thank you for your service to the Columbus 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

Department Columbus Division of Police

Type Other

Location Columbus, OH

Platform Identity cdpd.franklin.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 29, 1925

Age 29

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Walter O. Womeldorf served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Detective Walter O. Womeldorf 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 OH, 318 of 991 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32.1% of this state's fallen. That is 32.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Columbus Division of Police, 19 of 59 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32.2% of this agency's fallen.

Columbus Division of Police

of 59 officers

32.2% Accident

OH — Statewide

318

of 991 officers

32.1% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Accident