United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division, U.S. Government
End of Watch: Wednesday, September 8, 1965
Age: 41
Tour of Duty: 22 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Automobile crash
Date of Incident: September 8, 1965
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Investigator Vernon Rogers died from injuries he received in an automobile crash on Highway 101 in Port Angeles, Washington. He was en route to Port Angeles to investigate the reported sale of non-tax-paid, illegal Japanese whiskey from a ship in port at the time.
The crash occurred while Investigator Rogers was driving across Morse Creek Bridge. A logging truck's trail wheels were not tracking directly behind the truck and when crossing the bridge, they tracked over the bridge railing, twisting and breaking the tongue hitch. The broken tongue pierced the front of his vehicle and carried through the vehicle and through the torso of Investigator Rogers. He was transported to a local hospital and died as they were attempting to insert a breathing tube.
Investigator Rogers was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of WWII and also a veteran of the U.S. Army. He had served with the Internal Revenue Service for 22 years. He was survived by his wife and two children.