Don Lee Overton
Agency patch
Patrolman II

Don Lee Overton

Memphis Police Department — Memphis, TN
Felonious
End of Watch October 12, 1999
Age 35
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
The Vigil Panel 146 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Overton was killed when his cruiser was struck by a stolen vehicle being chased by other officers. Officer Overton, who was not involved in the chase, was pulling out of a side street when his cruiser was broadsided by the suspect’s vehicle. The suspect was traveling at an estimated 100 mph. Officer Overton was extricated from his cruiser and flown to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman II Overton gave the Memphis Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Memphis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman II Overton.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Memphis, Shelby County, TN
Platform Identity mpd.shelby.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 12, 1999
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Age 35
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Don is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1999, 58 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 133rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Don was 35. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Don had served 11 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Memphis Police Department has 94 officers remembered here, Don among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman II Don Lee Overton

Memphis Police Department · End of Watch October 12, 1999

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 52-E

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