Payne County Sheriff's Office, Oklahoma
End of Watch: Tuesday, July 30, 1968
Age: 26
Tour of Duty: 5 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Vehicular assault
Date of Incident: July 30, 1968
Weapon Used: Person
Suspect Info: Convicted
Deputy Sheriff Jerry Beall and Chief of Police Joe Rowden of the Cushing Police Department were killed after a prisoner they were transporting caused them to crash their vehicle.
The two officers were transporting two prisoners to the Payne County Jail on Highway 51 at 3:30 pm when one of the prisoners climbed over the front seat and attacked them. The vehicle crashed during the ensuing struggle, and both officers were killed in the accident.
The suspect was convicted of murder but was paroled in the 1970s.
Deputy Beall had served with the Payne County Sheriff's Office for five 5 years and had previously served with the Cushing Police Department. He was survived by his wife and two sons.