Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff John Summerlin was killed when his vehicle was struck by a train at a railroad crossing one mile east of Crestview.
A representative from the state hospital, in Chattahoochee, had gone to Crestview in order to accompany a man back to the hospital who had been declared insane. The representative requested that Sheriff Summerlin accompany him to the man's home in order to retrieve him. An acquaintance of the man, who happened to be at the sheriff's office, also accompanied them.
When they arrived at the subject's home they retrieved him and a relative. All five men were returning to the Crestview train station in order to drop the hospital representative and subject on the next train. As they approached a railroad crossing the train struck their vehicle.
One of the occupants was able to jump from the car before it was struck, but Sheriff Summerlin and the other three occupants remained in the vehicle. Sheriff Summerlin was killed instantly and the other three serious injuries. All three died within a short time later.
Sheriff Summerlin had been elected sheriff during the previous election and had been sworn in only three weeks prior.
Rest in Peace.
Mitchell Summerlin Descendant April 4th, 2025
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-FL-7EF73BD9- Stewardship
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- 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.
Sheriff Summerlin served with the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Shalimar community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Summerlin.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff John Monroe Summerlin 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 FL, 313 of 1,008 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.1% of this state's fallen. That is 0.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Okaloosa County Sheriff's Dept., 1 of 8 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 12.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Monroe Summerlin's cause is highlighted.
How John Monroe Summerlin Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. John Monroe Summerlin is highlighted in Jan.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
7 officers from Okaloosa County Sheriff's Dept. are honored on badge.nw.
