P/O Richard J Lear
Officer Richard J Lear
Shortly after 11:00 p.m. on October 8, 1985, alarms were sounding at several locations in the 5300 block of York Road. A marked police vehicle responded and so did Officer Lear. To get to the scene, Officer Lear had to cross several lanes of York Road. As he crossed, he was struck by a northbound vehicle traveling well above the posted speed limit. The driver never stopped. Doctors at Sinai Hospital pronounced him dead just before midnight. Miles away in Baltimore County, Police stopped a vehicle which they saw was being driven in an erratic manner. The operator was arrested. A short time later, a civilian who knew of the traffic accident, which killed Officer Lear, spotted the car in a parking lot and notified authorities that, in turn, called Baltimore Police Accident Investigators to the scene. The automobile was transported to the Headquarters Building for processing. As a result of the investigation, charges of Automobile Manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident, driving while intoxicated and excessive speed were filed against a 29-year-old Baltimore resident. Officer Richard Lear was a veteran of 31 years on the department.
More details
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| End of Watch | October 8, 1985 |
| City, St. | York Road |
| Panel Number | 20-E: 15 |
| Cause of Death | Auto Accident |
| District Worked | Northern |
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