Reading Police Department, Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Thursday, February 27, 1868
Age: 60
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Heart attack
Date of Incident: February 27, 1868
Weapon Used: Person
Suspect Info: Arrested
Patrolman William Levan suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after being kicked in the abdomen by a suspect who had been arrested for being drunk in public. The suspect had been found laying in a gutter by another patrolman and was being walked to jail when Patrolman Levan came to assist the officer.
The suspect began to struggle near the intersection of Ninth Street and Muhlenburg Street. The other officer threw the man to the ground as Patrolman Levan assisted. The man began to kick at both officers and struck Patrolman Levan in the abdomen.
After subduing the prisoner, Patrolman Levan asked a citizen to help take the prisoner to the jail because he began to feel ill. When they arrived at the jail Patrolman Levan went to the chief's office to tell him of the incident. He collapsed as he told the chief he had been kicked in the abdomen.
Patrolman Levan was survived by his wife and several grown children.