Worcester Police Department, Massachusetts
End of Watch: Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Age: 58
Tour of Duty: 33 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Heart attack
Date of Incident: February 23, 2009
Weapon Used: Person
Suspect Info: Not available
Sergeant Michael Towner succumbed to injuries sustained six weeks earlier while struggling with a violent subject at a basketball game.
He and another officer were working security at the game. After removing a vocally abusive subject the officers attempted to arrest him. During the ensuing struggle, Sergeant Towner and the suspect both slipped on a patch of ice. The suspect then fled but was caught a short distance away and arrested.
Sergeant Towner began experiencing shortness of breath. He was transported to a local hospital where he underwent emergency heart surgery. He remained in the hospital until passing away on April 7th, 2009.
Sergeant Towner had served with the Worcester Police Department for 33 years. He is survived by his wife and two children.