Wilbarger County Sheriff's Department, Texas
End of Watch: Friday, March 11, 1927
Age: 42
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Motorcycle crash
Date of Incident: March 9, 1927
Weapon Used: Automobile; Commercial
Suspect Info: Not available
At approximately 9:30 p.m., Deputy Sheriff and Motor Traffic Officer William A. Gillespie spotted a Chrysler automobile that fit the description of a vehicle wanted in connection with an armed robbery and shoot-out at a Gulf service station earlier that evening in Wichita Falls, Texas. Gillespie gave chase on his police motorcycle and when he attempted to pass the suspect vehicle he was struck head-on by a truck. The suspect vehicle turned out not to be involved in the robbery. Officer Gillespie was transported to a Vernon hospital where he died two days later on March 11, 1927.
Frank [Jack] Carter, 23, who had been wounded in the Wichita Falls shoot-out was arrested several days later in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Carter was also charged with robbery of three service stations in Dallas and sentenced to 99 years in prison for the Dallas robberies. Robbery charges were also filed against Carter in Fort Worth, Tarrant County.
Officer Gillespie was survived by his wife Bessie and two daughters. He is buried in the Harrold Cemetery, Wilbarger County, Texas.