Incident
Officer Arthur Del Gaudio was killed while in pursuit of an intoxicated and reckless driver who had been drag racing. The officer collided with another police car and then careened into the wall of a home at 10th Street and Rose Lane. His death was instrumental in persuading the State Legislature to enact the Unlawful Flight statute. The driver they were pursuing was charged with driving while intoxicated and reckless driving. Officer Del Gaudio was a United States Navy Vietnam veteran and served with the Phoenix Police Department for at least a year.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, who was pregnant with their first child, and his parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AZ-99A06E73- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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.
Police Officer Del Gaudio gave the Phoenix Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Phoenix 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Arthur Edward Del Gaudio, Jr. served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Police Officer Arthur Edward Del Gaudio, Jr. is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In AZ, 95 of 330 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 28.8% of this state's fallen. That is 2.2 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Phoenix Police Dept., 14 of 47 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 29.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Arthur Edward Del Gaudio, Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How Arthur Edward Del Gaudio, Jr. Compares
Offender Outcome
Charged with reckless driving
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Arthur Edward Del Gaudio, Jr. is highlighted in Apr.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
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