Merced Police Department, California
End of Watch: Tuesday, November 19, 1946
Age: 49
Tour of Duty: 8 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Automobile crash
Date of Incident: November 19, 1946
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Sergeant Edward Leap was killed when his patrol car was struck by an Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad freight train at the K Street crossing.
He was traveling northbound and had stopped to let a string of cars being pulled by a westbound switch engine pass. After the switch engine passed he started across the tracks when his vehicle was struck by the eastbound freight train.
Sergeant Leap was assigned to special investigations and was en route to his home to make photostatic copies of a fraudulent check when the crash occurred.
Sergeant Leap was a WWI veteran and had served with the Merced Police Department for eight years. He was survived by his wife, two daughters, two sons, mother, two brothers, and one sister.