New Mexico State Police, New Mexico
End of Watch: Thursday, June 11, 2009
Age: 36
Tour of Duty: 13 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Aircraft accident
Date of Incident: June 9, 2009
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Sergeant Andy Tingwall died following a police helicopter crash on a mountainside near Lake Katherine, New Mexico. He and a police observer had just taken off after rescuing a stranded hiker when the helicopter struck the mountainside and crashed.
Despite being severely injured, the observer was able to hike from the area the following morning and was located by a rescue party. An intense search was initiated but rescuers had difficulty reaching the crash site due to weather and terrain.
The bodies of Sergeant Tingwall and the hiker were located two days later when rescuers were able to reach the site.
Sergeant Tingwall was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the New Mexico State Police for 13 years. He was survived by his wife and three daughters.