Halifax County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina
End of Watch: Sunday, March 2, 1969
Age: 23
Tour of Duty: 1 year, 5 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Struck by train
Date of Incident: March 2, 1969
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Deputy Sheriff William Goodwin was killed when his patrol car was struck by a train at a railroad crossing on Rural Paved Road 1423 near Halifax, North Carolina, at 8:50 a.m.
Deputy Goodwin was a U.S. Navy veteran who had served with the Halifax County Sheriff's Office for only five months and was the agency's first African American deputy. He had previously served with the Roanoke Rapids Police Department for one year. He was survived by his expectant wife, parents, three sisters, and a brother. His daughter was born a few months later.