Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police John Woods was killed in an automobile crash on Cottage Toll Road (present day Tidewater Drive), near its intersection with Sewells Point Road, in Norfolk County, Virginia. His vehicle collided with the rear of a tow truck that had just stopped on the roadway to pull another car out of a ditch. Chief Woods had served as chief for eight years and had served with the Norfolk Police Department for 17 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, three sons, and mother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-8081E510- 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.
Chief of Police Woods gave the Norfolk Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Norfolk community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Woods.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief of Police John Fulton Woods 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 VA, 203 of 654 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31% of this state's fallen.
At Norfolk Police Dept., 17 of 39 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 43.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Fulton Woods's cause is highlighted.
How John Fulton Woods Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. John Fulton Woods is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
38 officers from Norfolk Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
