Ernest Jesus Montoya, Sr

Navajo Division of Public Safety — Window Rock, AZ

Cardiac

End of Watch November 30, 2014

Age 54

Tour of Duty 21 yrs

The Vigil Panel 164 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 16

Incident

Senior Police Officer Ernest Montoya suffered a fatal heart attack while transporting a prisoner to the reservation's jail facility in Dilkon, Arizona.

He had just arrested the man and was driving to the jail when he suffered the heart attack, causing his vehicle to leave the roadway.

Officer Montoya had served with the Navajo Division of Public Safety for 21 years.

SPO Montoya, On today, the 10th anniversary of your death I would just like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice as a Law Enforcement Officer. And to your Family and loved ones, I wish to extend my deepest sympathy.

BPA Mike Casey United States Border Patrol(Retired) November 30th, 2024

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NN-TR-779683B6
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

21 years. You could have gone home.
Senior Police Officer Montoya gave the Navajo Division of Public Safety 21 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Window Rock community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Senior Police Officer Montoya.

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

Agency

Department Navajo Division of Public Safety

Location Window Rock, AZ

Platform Identity ndpsdps.nn.tribal.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 30, 2014

Tour of Duty 21 yrs

Age 54

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Senior Police Officer Ernest Jesus Montoya, Sr is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In AZ, 11 of 330 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3.3% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 4%.

At Navajo Division of Public Safety, 1 of 17 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 5.9% of this agency's fallen.

Navajo Division of Public Safety

of 17 officers

5.9% Cardiac

AZ — Statewide

of 330 officers

3.3% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac