William H. Jessie

Montgomery County Police Department — Gaithersburg, MD

Accident

End of Watch December 30, 1964

Age 43

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

The Vigil Panel 100 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 20

Incident

Lieutenant William Jessie was killed in an automobile crash while chasing a stolen vehicle on Route 355 in Hyattstown. Officers observed the vehicle leaving a service station on Hungerford Drive in Rockville and attempted to stop it. During the chase, the suspect was able to elude the officers but was located by Lieutenant Jessie, who began to chase it again. During the pursuit, Lieutenant Jessie's 1963 Plymouth detective's car went out of control and overturned. He was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The suspect was later found hiding in an abandoned car. Lieutenant Jessie had served with the Montgomery County Police Department for 12 years. He was named Officer of the Year the previous year.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MD-F2D93BCA
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.
Lieutenant Jessie gave the Montgomery County Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Gaithersburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Lieutenant Jessie.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Montgomery County Police Department

Location Gaithersburg, MD

Platform Identity mcpd.montgomery.md.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 30, 1964

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

Age 43

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Weapon Automobile

Offender Apprehended

Lieutenant William H. Jessie 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 MD, 140 of 377 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 37.1% of this state's fallen. That is 6.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

At Montgomery County Police Department, 9 of 21 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.

Montgomery County Police Department

of 21 officers

42.9% Accident

MD — Statewide

140

of 377 officers

37.1% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident