Roll of Honor
Incident
Merchant Policeman John Holt was struck and killed by a Louisville and Nashville Railroad train at the Pike Street railroad crossing while walking his beat at about 5:00 am.
He was attempting to cross the tracks as the train approached but he slipped and fell in its path.
Policeman Holt had served with the Cynthiana Police Department for 20 years and had previously served as a Harrison County constable.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, brother, two half-brothers, and three half-sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-E780AB8E- 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
20 years. You could have gone home.
Merchant Policeman Holt gave the Cynthiana Police Department 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Cynthiana community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Merchant Policeman Holt.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Merchant Policeman John William Holt 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 KY, 161 of 983 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 16.4% of this state's fallen. That is 14.6 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Cynthiana Police Department, 1 of 4 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John William Holt's cause is highlighted.
How John William Holt Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. John William Holt is highlighted in Nov.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Cynthiana Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
