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Spear Cushman Crossley
Deputy Sheriff

Spear Cushman Crossley

Oklahoma County Sheriff's Department — Oklahoma City, OK
Accident
United States flag Oklahoma flag
End of Watch June 15, 1922
Age 55
Tour of Duty 22 yrs
The Vigil Panel 102 · Column 3 · Line 7 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 10

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Spear Crossley was shot and killed by Oklahoma City police officers in a case of mistaken identity.

Deputy Crossley had stopped a stolen vehicle and determined that the driver was a fugitive. Deputy Crossley arrested the man and drove him to the county jail.

Deputy Crossley then returned to the car with other deputies to remove it from the sand. During the time that Deputy Crossley had taken the prisoner to jail, Oklahoma City police officers had noticed the stolen car and set up surveillance. When the county deputies returned to the scene the city officers and county deputies mistook each other for the car thieves and a shootout ensued. Deputy Crossley was fatally wounded during the shootout.

Deputy Crossley had served in law enforcement for 22 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

22 years. You could have gone home.
Deputy Sheriff Crossley gave the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office 22 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Oklahoma City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Crossley.

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

Agency

Department Oklahoma County Sheriff's Department
Type Other
Location Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, OK
Platform Identity ocso.oklahoma.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 15, 1922
Tour of Duty 22 yrs
Age 55
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Spear is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1922, 82 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 23rd heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Spear was 55. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Spear had served 22 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

June holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Oklahoma County Sheriff's Department has 11 officers remembered here, Spear among them.

Across the years

Deputy Sheriff Spear Cushman Crossley

Oklahoma County Sheriff's Department · End of Watch June 15, 1922

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 62-E

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