Roll of Honor
Incident
Corporal Dennis Kelly succumbed to injuries he received when he was injured in a helicopter crash on May 20, 1984, around 8:00 p.m.
Corporal Kelly and another officer were practicing routine takeoffs and landings at the Sussex County Airport (present-day Delaware Coastal Airport), located at 21553 Rudder Lane in Georgetown, Delaware. While landing, the helicopter flipped on its side. The other officer was able to escape the helicopter and pull Corporal Kelly from the aircraft.
Both officers were transferred to Peninsula General Hospital, where Corporal Kelly was treated for a broken neck causing paralysis. He remained a quadriplegic until passing away from spinal injury complications. The other officer survived his injuries.
Corporal Kelly had served with the Delaware State Police for seven years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, daughter, and two sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-DE-61FCB098- 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Corporal Kelly gave the Delaware State Police 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Delaware. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Corporal Kelly.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Corporal Dennis Francis Kelly 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 DE, 19 of 51 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 37.3% of this state's fallen. That is 6.3 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Delaware State Police, 11 of 21 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 52.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Dennis Francis Kelly's cause is highlighted.
How Dennis Francis Kelly Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Dennis Francis Kelly is highlighted in Dec.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
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