William Herman Edwards III

Henrico County Police Department — Richmond, VA

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch February 2, 1998

Age 50

Tour of Duty 29 yrs 4 mo

The Vigil Panel 144 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 9

Incident

Officer William Edwards was killed while assisting with the funeral escort for a Hanover County, Virginia, sheriff's deputy. The accident occurred when a flatbed wrecker truck pulled in front of the procession as it attempted to turn into a business, at 12167 Washington Highway in Ashland, and struck the motorcycle that Officer Edwards was operating. Officer Edwards was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the truck was convicted of several misdemeanor traffic violations. Patrolman Edwards was a U.S. Navy veteran and had served with the Henrico County Police Department for 29 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and five children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-VA-F6F57BF2
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. William is one person.

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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.
Officer Edwards gave the Henrico County Police Department 29 years.
Thank you for your service to the Richmond 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 Henrico County Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Richmond, VA

Platform Identity hcpd.richmond.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 2, 1998

Tour of Duty 29 yrs 4 mo

Age 50

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

William Herman Edwards III served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer William Herman Edwards III is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,784 officers honored here.

In VA, 204 of 656 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.1% of this state's fallen. That is 31.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Henrico County Police Department, 5 of 10 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Henrico County Police Department

of 10 officers

50% Accident

VA — Statewide

204

of 656 officers

31.1% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,784 officers

0% Accident