Roll of Honor
Albert William Devlin
Incident
Patrolman Albert Devlin was killed in a vehicle crash at the intersection of McKnight Road and Braunlich Drive in Ross Township while pursuing a stolen vehicle occupied by an adult and two juveniles. The vehicle had been stolen in Pittsburgh and was spotted by an officer with Harmony Township Police Department in Butler County. Harmony Township police terminated the pursuit once it crossed into Allegheny County and was taken up by McCandless Township Police Department. Patrolman Devlin positioned his vehicle across two lanes of traffic on McKnight Road, where the stolen vehicle swerved around him and nearly struck him. The chase continued a short distance away into a restaurant parking lot where the stolen vehicle was abandoned. The three occupants fled on foot over a hillside, where they stole a second vehicle that had been idling. As Patrolman Devlin was pursuing the second stolen vehicle, he attempted to run it off the road but was hit broadside. The impact knocked both vehicles into several utility poles, causing Patrolman Devlin to be ejected from his vehicle. The adult and two juveniles then fled the scene of the accident on foot. Patrolman Devlin was rushed to North Hills Passavant Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The subjects were arrested by detectives from the Ross Township Police Department, McCandless Township Police Department, and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police the next day. The 19-year-old driver was apprehended and charged with Patrolman Devlin's murder. On May 23rd, 1973, while out on bond and awaiting trial for the murder of Patrolman Devlin, the suspect was arrested in a parked vehicle with a minor by the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. The man was charged with a narcotics violation and corrupting the morals of a minor. On June 27th, 1973, he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, corrupting the morals of a minor, auto larceny, and traffic violations. He was sentenced to three consecutive one to three years in prison in connection with the mur
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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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Devlin gave the McCandless Township Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Wexford community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Albert William Devlin served in the Navy (1958â1960) before joining law enforcement.
Patrolman Albert William Devlin 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 PA, 417 of 1,261 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Albert William Devlin's cause is highlighted.
How Albert William Devlin Compares
Offender Outcome
stolen vehicle
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Albert William Devlin is highlighted in Jan.