Amarillo Police Department, Texas
End of Watch: Thursday, August 4, 2016
Age: 39
Tour of Duty: 11 years
Badge Number: 208
Cause of Death: Automobile crash
Date of Incident: September 8, 2015
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Police Officer Justin Scherlen succumbed to injuries sustained 11 months earlier when his patrol car was struck head-on by another vehicle near the intersection of SW 34th Avenue and Georgia Street.
The collision caused Officer Scherlen to become trapped inside of his vehicle for approximately one hour as rescue personnel attempted to extricate him. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. He subsequently underwent numerous surgeries and continuous rehabilitation following the crash. He subsequently suffered a complication and died while on a family trip in New Mexico on August 4th, 2016.
Officer Scherlen had served with the Amarillo Police Department for 11 years and was assigned to the Uniformed Division. He also served on the agency's Honor Guard and Dive Team. He is survived by his wife and four children.