Marlette Police Department, Michigan
End of Watch: Sunday, January 19, 1986
Age: 63
Tour of Duty: 20 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Vehicular assault
Date of Incident: January 9, 1986
Weapon Used: Automobile
Suspect Info: At large
Chief of Police James Lounsberry succumbed to injuries sustained 10 days earlier in a vehicle crash caused by a hit-and-run driver.
He was transporting a citizen to a local hospital during a period of heavy snow. A vehicle traveling the opposite direction attempted to pass a tractor-trailer on the shoulder but struck the trailer. The collision caused the semi to veer into the oncoming lane of traffic and strike Chief Lounsberry's patrol car head-on.
The citizen he was driving to the hospital was killed in the crash. He suffered serious injuries and died 10 days later.
The driver of the vehicle that struck the semi fled the scene and was never identified.
Chief Lounsberry was a U.S. Army veteran and had served in law enforcement for over 20 years. He was survived by his two children and six grandchildren.