Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Willis Daggett succumbed to injuries sustained in a vehicle crash earlier in the day while en route to serve a warrant on a man who lived near Litchfield.
He was approaching the bridge over Clear Creek, approximately five miles north of Litchfield, when a dip in the road caused his car to strike the guard rail. The vehicle went through the guard rail and landed in the creekbed 20 feet below.
Despite being seriously injured with a fractured skull, he was able to get out of the car, climb out of the creek, and walk to a farm a quarter mile away. The farmer's wife had to go to another farm to call for an ambulance and the sheriff, but Deputy Daggett succumbed to his injuries before their arrival.
Deputy Daggett had served with the Buffalo County Sheriff's Office for only nine months.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and five children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NE-10962A9C- 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.
Deputy Sheriff Daggett served with the Buffalo County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Kearney community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Daggett.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Willis Gardner Daggett 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 NE, 36 of 151 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 23.8% of this state's fallen. That is 7.2 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Willis Gardner Daggett's cause is highlighted.
How Willis Gardner Daggett Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Willis Gardner Daggett is highlighted in Jan.