Josephine County Sheriff's Office, Oregon
End of Watch: Thursday, May 23, 2002
Age: 46
Tour of Duty: 9 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Aircraft accident
Date of Incident: May 23, 2002
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Marine Deputy Thomas Rice was killed in a helicopter accident at 1600 hours while conducting a search and rescue mission for an elderly woman who was believed to have drowned in the Rogue River.
A local pilot offered his services and helicopter to conduct the search and Deputy Rice accompanied him. During the search, the helicopter struck a wire just downstream from the O-K Corral used to ferry supplies across the river.
Deputy Rice's mother-in-law, Police Matron Alice Moran, was killed in an on-duty airplane accident on November 17, 1971, while serving with the Josephine County Sheriff's Department.
Deputy Rice had been employed with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office for nine years, and is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.