Roll of Honor
Incident
Probation Officer William Sexton drowned while performing rescue operations during the Great Flood of 1913, in which the Scioto River overflowed. During the rescue operations, he fell from the rowboat in the area of Rich Street and Mitchell Street. His body was recovered several days later. Approximately 500 people were killed throughout Ohio during the flood, including Captain Allen McGown of the Findlay Police Department. Officer Sexton had served with the Columbus Police Department for eight years and was assigned as a probation officer for the Columbus Police Court.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, father, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-DBCF07F9- 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.
Probation Officer Sexton gave the Columbus Division of Police 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Columbus community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Probation Officer Sexton.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Probation Officer William Avery Sexton 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 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.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Avery Sexton's cause is highlighted.
How William Avery Sexton Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. William Avery Sexton is highlighted in Mar.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
58 officers from Columbus Division of Police are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
