Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Harry Swaney succumbed to injuries sustained eight days earlier when he was involved in an automobile crash on the Reno-Carson Highway.
He and another deputy had been patrolling the area of the Blackmer Ranch earlier in the day when the other deputy was injured in a motorcycle crash. Deputy Swaney took the deputy to the hospital on his motorcycle. A ranchhand was returning Deputy Swaney to the ranch to retrieve the motorcycle.
As the ranchhand attempted to pass a truck nine miles south of Reno he collided with an oncoming vehicle. Deputy Swaney was killed while the ranchhand and occupants of the vehicle were injured.
Deputy Swaney was survived by his wife.
Survivors
Deputy Swaney was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NV-0C642CE1- 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 Swaney served with the Washoe County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Reno community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Swaney.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Harry Ward Swaney 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 NV, 40 of 145 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 27.6% of this state's fallen. That is 3.4 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Washoe County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 6 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Harry Ward Swaney's cause is highlighted.
How Harry Ward Swaney Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Harry Ward Swaney is highlighted in Aug.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
5 officers from Washoe County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
