On This Date (August 10) 1935-Police Officer (Motorcycle Assignment) John William Dieken
On This Date (August 10) 1935-Police Officer (Motorcycle Assignment) John William Dieken.
On this date (August 10) 1935 a wife lost a husband, his son lost a father, his father and mother lost a son, his two bothers and one sister lost a brother, our nation lost a United States Marine Corp Veteran and Dallas lost a Police Officer.
Police Officer (Motorcycle Assignment) John William Dieken, age 33, died at Baylor Hospital were he was transported after being involved in a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Parry Avenue and Fletcher Street.
Police Officer Dieken was responding to a three alarm fire located within the business complex at Gaston Avenue and Abrams Road. A female operator of a sedan failed to yield to his siren and red lights and instead of pulling to the right, turned left.
Police Officer Dieken’s motorcycle continued after the initial impact, skidding on the roadway and caught fire. This is the same motorcycle that Police Officer Ernest Leonard Jr. was riding and killed when he was involved in an accident of this almost same situation at South Denley Drive and Stella Avenue earlier this same year. At that time it was Number 13, but having been involved in at least two prior fatal accidents, it was renumbered to Number 21.
It was so heavily damaged in Officer Dieken’s accident it was placed out of service, permanently.
Police Officer Dieken’s wife had given birth to a son three days prior to this accident and was hospitalized at Saint Paul Hospital after what was described as a delivery with complications.
The operator of the sedan involved, a visitor to Dallas from Brownwood, Texas was charged with Negligent Homicide. I was unable to locate a disposition of this case however.
Police Officer John William Dieken is interred at the Colfax Center Presbyterian Cemetery, Holland, Iowa.