{"id":8759,"date":"2023-10-24T19:17:26","date_gmt":"2023-10-24T23:17:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/?p=8759"},"modified":"2023-10-24T19:17:28","modified_gmt":"2023-10-24T23:17:28","slug":"decatur-pds-dark-day-in-01-remembered","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/index.php\/2023\/10\/24\/decatur-pds-dark-day-in-01-remembered\/","title":{"rendered":"Decatur PD’s dark day in \u201901 remembered"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By BOB SHRALUKA<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WZBD.com<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last Monday marked one of the darkest days in the history of the Decatur Police Department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He died at the scene, the only Decatur police officer to lose his life while on duty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of his classmates and a teammate on a Sectional championship hoops team, D.J. Sigler \u2013 a Columbia City resident and Whitley County Prosecutor \u2013 remembered Wyss with this post on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGone but not forgotten. My main man, Jerrold J. \u201cJerry\u201d 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\u2026whether you needed him to or not\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Monday, the Decatur PD marked the 22nd<\/sup> anniversary of the tragedy with a Facebook post, concluding thusly: \u201c Officer Wyss, we thank you for your service and sacrifice. May your memory always live on, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wyss’ badge number, D8, has been retired by the Decatur PD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2002, U.S. 224 from County Road 200E to County Road 700E East was dedicated as the Jerrold J. Wyss Memorial Highway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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