San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, California
End of Watch: Thursday, July 31, 1986
Age: 29
Tour of Duty: 7 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Aircraft accident
Date of Incident: July 31, 1986
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Deputy Donald DeMeulle was killed when the helicopter he was riding in crashed into Silverwood Lake.
The helicopter became entangled in high-powered power lines and fell into the lake. Deputy DeMeulle sustained severe head injuries and was trapped in the helicopter as it became submerged. The pilot, who suffered a broken back, made several heroic attempts to dive into the water and free Deputy DeMeulle's seatbelt.
Deputy DeMeulle had been with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department for seven years. He was survived by his wife and two young children.