Philadelphia Police Department, Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Wednesday, February 17, 1909
Age: 40
Tour of Duty: 11 years
Badge Number: 3208
Cause of Death: Struck by train
Date of Incident: February 17, 1909
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Policeman Robert Simons was struck and killed by a Reading Railroad freight train while searching the freight yards near South 52nd Street in the Gray's Ferry area of Philadelphia.
He and another officer were searching for a man wanted in Wilmington, Delaware, for a stabbing. Detectives in Wilmington believed the man was heading to Philadelphia on a freight train and alerted police to search for him. Policeman Simons and a second officer were both struck by the train. The other officer suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Policeman Simons had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 11 years. He was survived by his wife.