Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective William Johnston was killed in a vehicle crash while pursuing three subjects who had just committed a bank robbery.
The patrol car Detective Johnston was riding in overturned. He suffered fatal injuries in the crash. Two other officers suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Detective Johnston had served with the Bristow Police Department for 12 years.
Detective William Howard Johnston was my great grandfather. Himself, wife, daughters Donna Lee, Agnus, traveled by horse drawn wagon from Pierce City, MO. taking a year to settle in OK. Indian Territory. He would find work as they traveled. His father was William Harvey Johnston who fought in the Civil War, for the North and was shot in the back paralyzing him from the waist down. His wife was Elizabeth Robinson Johnston was from Virginia, a Southern State, was ousted from her family for marrying a Yankee and never allowed any contact with her family as a result. Detective Johnston was riding on the running board in the chase. Prior to his death, he arrested a Chinese man in a laundry in Okmulgee, OK. Taking a Colt 32 caliber from the man as he reached for the pistol. His daughter Donna was my grandmother. To whom I was very close to. Other stories she told me about him and their travel I don’t quite remember.
Michael Lee Wiley Great Grand Son June 2nd, 2025
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- 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.
Detective Johnston gave the Bristow Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Bristow community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Johnston.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective William H. Johnston 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 OK, 135 of 582 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 23.2% of this state's fallen. That is 7.8 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William H. Johnston's cause is highlighted.
How William H. Johnston Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. William H. Johnston is highlighted in Sep.