Sergeant Fred M. Krueger
Oak Park Police Department
Illinois
End of Watch: Sunday, August 28, 1921

Biographical Info
Age: 39
Tour of Duty: 11 years
Badge Number: 100

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Motorcycle accident
Date of Incident: Sunday, August 28, 1921
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available

Sergeant Krueger and another motorcycle officer were at the Augusta Fire House when an alarm sounded for a fire near Austin and Lake. The officers led a fire truck from the station south on Lombard. A "chemical fire patrol car" was also dispatched from the Municipal Building at 655 Lake Street. The motorcycle officer in the lead, had just passed Ontario southbound when Sergeant Krueger and the “chemical car”, traveling eastbound on Ontario, entered the intersection at the same time.

Sergeant Krueger appeared to realize his predicament and initially hesitated. At the coroner's inquest one witness said, "He saw that he could not turn into Ontario Street. The oiled surface told him that he would skid so he took a chance and tried to beat the chemical (car) across Ontario”. Sergeant Krueger was struck and thrown off his motorcycle, landing on the sidewalk on the north side of Ontario, approximately 50 feet east of Lombard.

Sergeant Krueger was survived by his wife and three children. Under a then-new law, his family was awarded a police pension of $70 per month, half his pay. Sergeant Krueger was buried at Forest Home Cemetery.