Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman William Overton was killed in an automobile crash as he was responding to a shooting call. Another vehicle cut him off and, in an attempted to avoid striking that car he swerved into the median, causing his patrol car to overturn three times. The shooting call turned out to be a false alarm. Patrolman Overton had served with the Charleston Police Department for seven years.
Survivors
He was survived by his two sons, two daughters and parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-WV-A41C29C1- 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.
Patrolman Overton gave the Charleston Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Charleston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Overton.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman William Lee Overton Jr. 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 WV, 54 of 232 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 23.3% of this state's fallen. That is 23.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Charleston Police Department, 3 of 9 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Lee Overton Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How William Lee Overton Jr. Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. William Lee Overton Jr. is highlighted in Jul.
Others Who Wore This Badge
8 officers from Charleston Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
