Iowa Concerns of Police Survivors

Deputy Sheriff Dennis McElderry was struck and killed by a patrol car after deploying stop sticks during a high-speed pursuit on U.S. Highway 63 just north of Bloomfield, Iowa, shortly before midnight.

The suspect, who was being chased, later turned himself in and was charged with vehicular manslaughter. The suspect was convicted of charges related to Deputy McElderry's death and was sentenced to 12 years in jail.

Deputy McElderry had served with the Davis County Sheriff's Department for four years. He is survived by his three children, fiancee, parents, and two sisters.

Officer Bryant was struck and killed by a vehicle while officially representing the Iowa Department of Corrections during the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run.

He and other participants were running on U.S. Highway 61 two miles north of Fort Madison. An Iowa State Patrol vehicle was providing an escort and driving slowly directly behind the runners.

A driver approached the group from the rear and did not realize that the patrol car was driving at such a low speed. The elderly driver entered the shoulder of the highway, passed the patrol car, and then re-entered the roadway. Officer Bryant, seeing the car approaching, pushed another correctional officer out of the way a split second before being struck, saving the officer's life.

Officer Bryant served at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison, Iowa. He had served with the agency for 16 years. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Police Officer Sean Wissink was killed in an automobile accident on Highway 141 while en route to the airport.

Officer Wissink was a member of the Metro Star Task Force and was one of five officers who were about to leave for New Mexico take part in additional weapons of mass destruction training. He was en route to the airport when it is believed he swerved to avoid a deer in the roadway, causing his department SUV to leave the roadway and overturn several times.

An off duty officer discovered the crash scene and called for rescue personnel. Officer Wissink was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later.

Officer Wissink had served with the Des Moines Police Department for nine years. He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

Probation / Parole Officer II Dan Jones was killed when his vehicle was struck head-on by another car on Highway 63, approximately one mile south of I-80.

Officer Jones was traveling to his office after visiting the Poweshiek County Jail when an oncoming car crossed the center line and struck his vehicle. Both he and the driver of the other vehicle were killed.

Officer Jones had served with the Iowa Department of Corrections for 18 years. He is survived by his wife, three children, mother and two brothers.

Police Officer Roger Hildreth suffered a fatal heart attack while running on a treadmill in the department's gym.

He had just completed responses to a burglary in progress call and a call involving two dogs loose in a neighborhood before collapsing.

Officer Hildreth was a U.S. Navy veteran and had served with the Des Moines Police Department for 18 years. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Lieutenant David Bowen suffered a fatal stroke following a call-out to supervise a fatal vehicle crash involving a pedestrian.

The morning following the investigation he was assigned to supervise officers detailed to a concert at the Blank Park Zoo. Shortly after his shift began to display symptoms of a stroke and collapsed. He was flown to the University of Iowa Hospital where he died two days later.

Lieutenant Bowen was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the Des Moines Police Department for 31 years.