By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Last Monday marked one of the darkest days in the history of the Decatur Police Department.
Officer Jerry Wyss, on duty and rushing to assist a fellow officer involved in a pursuit, was involved in a one-car crash on US 224 near the Indiana-Ohio line on Oct. 23, 2001.
He died at the scene, the only Decatur police officer to lose his life while on duty.
In his third year with the department, Jerry had proven to be a highly capable officer, respected by his peers, an officer with a true, deep desire to serve and protect.
His loss stunned the Decatur community and hundreds of people turned out a few days later for his funeral service held in the gymnasium where he had played basketball for Bellmont High School.
One of his classmates and a teammate on a Sectional championship hoops team, D.J. Sigler – a Columbia City resident and Whitley County Prosecutor – remembered Wyss with this post on Facebook:
“Gone but not forgotten. My main man, Jerrold J. “Jerry” Wyss, Decatur PD, End of watch: 10/23/01. Father, friend, protector of the little guy. When we played high school basketball together, the kid would absolutely run through a brick wall…whether you needed him to or not…”
On Monday, the Decatur PD marked the 22nd anniversary of the tragedy with a Facebook post, concluding thusly: “ Officer Wyss, we thank you for your service and sacrifice. May your memory always live on, sir.”
Jerry’s death left behind his wife, the former Amanda Heyerly, and one-year-old son, Sam. Today, Amanda is remarried and living near Decatur while Sam is also a local resident and a student at Purdue.
Wyss’ badge number, D8, has been retired by the Decatur PD.
In 2002, U.S. 224 from County Road 200E to County Road 700E East was dedicated as the Jerrold J. Wyss Memorial Highway.
Each year, a Jerry Wyss Memorial Golf Outing is held to raise funds for the Jerry Wyss Memorial Scholarship given annually to a high school student in Adams County.
