Patrolman Thomas J. Burns

Patrolman Thomas J. Burns 
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1 Oct 1948

Motorcycle Officer Dies of Injuries

Patrolman Thomas J. Burns, a 23-year-old motorcycle policeman, died this morning 1 October 1948 after his motorcycle had crashed into a tractor-trailer truck on Erdman Ave.

The Army veteran, who had learned to ride police motorcycles last spring after serving as a patrolman and park policeman, died in City Hospital.

25 Volunteer Blood

Burns was thrown from his motorcycle and was rushed to the hospital with critical injuries. Almost as soon as he arrived a plea when out on police radios and teletype for volunteers to report to the hospital and donate the blood that would be needed for transfusions. Within 10 minutes after the call, 25 officers appeared to offer their blood.

Burns was single and lived in the 1500 block of Durham Street.

Police said he struck the oversized truck at the intersection of Erdman Avenue and N. Point Rd., as the truck was making a left-hand turn. Patrolman Leroy F. Davis and Charles Krein, of the accident investigation division, charged the driver of the truck with failure to give the right away to an emergency vehicle.

They said the truck, owned by Kane Transfer Company, of the 1100 block of Russell Street, was driven by Norman L. Willingham, 22, of the 100 block of Sanford Ave., Catonsville, MD.