Arizona Department of Public Safety, Arizona
End of Watch: Sunday, October 2, 1983
Age: 36
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: 1758
Cause of Death: Aircraft accident
Date of Incident: October 2, 1983
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Officer/Pilot Thomas McNeff and Officer/Paramedic Richard Stratman were killed in a helicopter crash during a rainstorm near Marana.
They were en route to pick up a pregnant woman stranded by floodwaters for a medical transport to Tucson when the Bell Jet Ranger helicopter crashed into a flooded field.
Officer McNeff was a military veteran of the Vietnam War and had served with the Arizona Department of Public Safety for eight years. He was survived by his wife and infant daughter.