TAMPA, Florida – The Tampa Police Department is mourning the loss of one of its officers, killed Tuesday morning in an accident on the wrong lane on I-275.
Police chief Brian Dugan said that police officer Jesse Madsen, 45, died after responding to the call from a driver who was heading in the wrong direction just after one o’clock in the morning.
The accident occurred on the runways to the north of the interstate between Sligh and Hillsborough avenues. Tampa police said callers reported that the driver in the wrong direction was accelerating and getting in and out of the lanes.
Dugan said the driver in the wrong direction was a 25-year-old white man who had not yet been identified. He also died in the accident, police said.
Madsen was a TPD officer for 16 ½ years. Dugan said he was the father of four children, a dedicated husband and United States Marine.
According to Dugan, Madsen was a seven-time winner of the Tampa Police Department Rescue Award. He is the 32nd TPD officer killed in the line of duty.
“This is a tragedy,” said Dugan. “Our community has been shaken by these malicious drivers, and it is a complete tragedy that a husband and father of four died.”
A procession of TPD officers could be seen on Tuesday morning escorting an ambulance from the scene of the accident.
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I-275 is closed in both directions while traffic homicide detectives investigate. Dugan said the road would be closed for several hours.
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