Officer Jesse Madsen hailed at funeral for seeing everyone as family
Thousands attended services Tuesday for the Tampa police officer, who died saving strangers from a wrong-way driver on I-275.
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Uniformed pallbearers carry away the casket of Master Patrol Officer Jesse Madsen following his funeral Tuesday at Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz. Madsen, who served in the Marines and Army Reserves, was to be interred at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]
LUTZ â Officer Jesse Madsen considered everyone he met to be family.
He was born to a young mother who loved him but knew she couldnât care for him, so he went home from the hospital with an adoptive family. After a few weeks, the family decided his skin was too dark and he was given up again.
What we know about fallen Tampa Police Officer Jesse Madsen s funeral msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Details released on funeral for Tampa officer killed in wrong-way crash
Those wishing to pay their respects will be admitted at 10 a.m. Tuesday for the 11 a.m. funeral service at Idlewild Baptist Church.
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Tampa police honored Master Police Officer Jesse Madsen during a candlelight vigil in front of Tampa Police headquarters on Thursday. During the ceremony, Madsenâs name was added to the Tampa police memorial monument. [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]
Updated Mar. 14
TAMPA â Tampa police have released additional details about the funeral Tuesday for Master Patrol Officer Jesse Madsen, who was killed last week trying to stop a wrong-way driver on Interstate 275 in Tampa.
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TAMPA, Fla. A police officer intentionally veered his SUV into the path of a wrong-way driver to keep him from hitting others on Interstate 275 in Tampa, police and eyewitness accounts say.
Master Patrol Officer Jesse Madsen, 45, and Daniel Joshua Montague, 25, of Golden, Colorado, were killed in the crash early Tuesday morning, Tampa police Chief Brian Dugan said during a Thursday news conference.
Montague was driving more than 100 mph (160 kph) and likely intoxicated, Dugan said. Madsen, who was on patrol, was traveling at about 65 mph (104 kph) when the crash occurred.
“Officer Madsen is a true American hero,” Dugan said. “He deliberately moved his patrol car into the other driver’s path of travel. We believe Jesse Madsen was attempting to stop this wrong-way driver from putting anyone else’s life in danger by laying down his own.”
UpdatedFri, Mar 12, 2021 at 8:31 pm ET
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The Police Purple Shield award, given to officers who are severely injured or die in the line of duty, and the Medal of Honor, presented for acts of heroism without regard to personal danger, were presented to Officer Jesse Madsen posthumously. (Tampa Police )
Tampa Master Patrol Deputy Jesse Madsen s wife, Danyelle, and his three children unveiled the memorial plaque bearing his name. He is the 32nd Tampa police officer to die in the line of duty. (Tampa Police)
Madsen s name and end-of-watch date were placed on the back of an empty Tampa police patrol SUV. (Tampa Police)