Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Purcell was killed in an accident while on route to East Avon, New York for milk strike duty. While in route to the strike his automobile came to an abrupt halt for an unknown reason. Passing motorists found the two Troopers had been thrown from the vehicle and lay dazed or unconscious while Sergeant Purcell was found dead seated in the upright car with a broken neck. No evidence of a collision was found and investigators theorized that the brakes suddenly locked for an unknown reason. Sergeant Purcell had been with the agency for nine years.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-9482476B- 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.
Sergeant Purcell gave the New York State Police 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of New York. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Purcell.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Walter A. Purcell 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 NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At New York State Police, 94 of 171 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 55% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Walter A. Purcell's cause is highlighted.
How Walter A. Purcell Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Walter A. Purcell is highlighted in Mar.
Others Who Wore This Badge
170 officers from New York State Police are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
