Lake County Sheriff's Department, Indiana
End of Watch: Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Age: 63
Tour of Duty: 28 years, 7 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Bicycle accident
Date of Incident: August 22, 2006
Weapon Used: Automobile; Commercial
Suspect Info: No charges filed
Deputy Chief Gary Martin and Lieutenant Gary Dudley, of the Indiana State Police, were struck and killed while they were participating in a charity bicycle ride for the Indiana chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors.
Both officers were representing their agencies while riding with seven other active and retired officers and one civilian survivor on a 102-mile leg on the seventh day of the 13-day, 1,058-mile bike ride that traveled the perimeter of the state.
The cyclists were riding southbound on State Road 63 about two miles south of Interstate 74 near Perrysville. At about 12:30 pm, the driver of a freight truck rear-ended their support van. The van, which was then pushed into the group of riders, had a large banner warning of the cyclists and was using flashing amber lights at the time of the collision.
Deputy Chief Martin and Lieutenant Dudley died at the scene as a result of their injuries. One of the other cyclists and the drivers of both vehicles were injured.
Deputy Chief Martin had served with the Lake County Sheriff's Department for over 3½ years. He had previously served with the Gary Police Department for 25 years and was a US Army veteran.
Deputy Chief Martin was survived by his wife, a son who serves as a sergeant with the Gary Police Department, daughter, three sisters and two brothers, one of whom serves as a reserve sergeant with the Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, Police Department. His brother-in-law, Lieutenant Thurman E. Sharp, of the Marion County Sheriff's Department, was killed in the line of duty on December 25, 1988.
In 2007, State Road 63 from State Road 32 to Interstate 74 in Vermillion County was dedicated the Gary E. Dudley and Gary L. Martin Memorial Highway in their honor.