Incident
Deputy William Zak suffered a fatal heart attack after breaking up a fight and attempting to arrest the participants.
He was working a secondary employment job at a nightclub when he was informed of a fight in progress. He responded with another deputy and broke up the fight but collapsed immediately afterward and died at the scene.
The subject involved was charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-CCFC7EF1- 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 Zak gave the Bell County Sheriff's Office 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Belton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Zak.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff William Jerold Zak 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 TX, 88 of 2,421 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3.6% of this state's fallen.
At Bell County Sheriff's Dept., 1 of 6 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 16.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Jerold Zak's cause is highlighted.
How William Jerold Zak Compares
When Cardiac Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. William Jerold Zak is highlighted in Jul.
Others Who Wore This Badge
5 officers from Bell County Sheriff's Dept. are honored on badge.nw.


