Trooper Powless was killed May 18, 1980 when his squad car was crushed by a tractor-trailer rig that lost control when its left front tire blew out and skidded across the median. The semi pinned the squad car against the guard rail after hitting it broadside and crushed it beyond recognition. At the time of his death, Trooper Powless was 31 years old and had only been with the Wisconsin State Patrol for one year. He was married with two children.
--Wisconsin State Patrol memoriam
State patrolman's
traffic death 1st
in force history
The death of a State Patrol trooper
Sunday night in a collision between his
squad car and a semi-trailer truck in
Monroe County was the first death of
a trooper in a traffic accident in the
41-year history of the State Patrol, of-
ficials said Monday.
Gary Powless, 31, Black River
Falls, was killed when his westbound
squad car was struck by an eastbound
truck that had apparently blown a tire
and crossed the median on Interstate
94 about a mile north of Tomah....
Powless joined the State Patrol in
January 1979....
--excerpt from Madison Wisconsin State Journal; May 20, 1980
Spouse: P. L. M.
Marriage Date: 11 May 1974
Marriage County: Waukesha
Certificate Number: 011592
Name: Gary Powless
Social Security Number: xxxxxxx29
Birth Date: 8 Feb 1949
Issue Year: 1965
Issue State: Wisconsin
Death Date: May 1980
Name: Gary Gene Powless
Death Date: 18 May 1980
Location: Jackson
Death County: Monroe, Wisconsin, USA
Certificate: 012443
--Wisconsin State Patrol memoriam
State patrolman's
traffic death 1st
in force history
The death of a State Patrol trooper
Sunday night in a collision between his
squad car and a semi-trailer truck in
Monroe County was the first death of
a trooper in a traffic accident in the
41-year history of the State Patrol, of-
ficials said Monday.
Gary Powless, 31, Black River
Falls, was killed when his westbound
squad car was struck by an eastbound
truck that had apparently blown a tire
and crossed the median on Interstate
94 about a mile north of Tomah....
Powless joined the State Patrol in
January 1979....
--excerpt from Madison Wisconsin State Journal; May 20, 1980
Spouse: P. L. M.
Marriage Date: 11 May 1974
Marriage County: Waukesha
Certificate Number: 011592
Name: Gary Powless
Social Security Number: xxxxxxx29
Birth Date: 8 Feb 1949
Issue Year: 1965
Issue State: Wisconsin
Death Date: May 1980
Name: Gary Gene Powless
Death Date: 18 May 1980
Location: Jackson
Death County: Monroe, Wisconsin, USA
Certificate: 012443
Trooper Powless was killed May 18, 1980 when his squad car was crushed by a tractor-trailer rig that lost control when its left front tire blew out and skidded across the median. The semi pinned the squad car against the guard rail after hitting it broadside and crushed it beyond recognition. At the time of his death, Trooper Powless was 31 years old and had only been with the Wisconsin State Patrol for one year. He was married with two children.
--Wisconsin State Patrol memoriam
State patrolman's
traffic death 1st
in force history
The death of a State Patrol trooper
Sunday night in a collision between his
squad car and a semi-trailer truck in
Monroe County was the first death of
a trooper in a traffic accident in the
41-year history of the State Patrol, of-
ficials said Monday.
Gary Powless, 31, Black River
Falls, was killed when his westbound
squad car was struck by an eastbound
truck that had apparently blown a tire
and crossed the median on Interstate
94 about a mile north of Tomah....
Powless joined the State Patrol in
January 1979....
--excerpt from Madison Wisconsin State Journal; May 20, 1980
Spouse: P. L. M.
Marriage Date: 11 May 1974
Marriage County: Waukesha
Certificate Number: 011592
Name: Gary Powless
Social Security Number: xxxxxxx29
Birth Date: 8 Feb 1949
Issue Year: 1965
Issue State: Wisconsin
Death Date: May 1980
Name: Gary Gene Powless
Death Date: 18 May 1980
Location: Jackson
Death County: Monroe, Wisconsin, USA
Certificate: 012443
--Wisconsin State Patrol memoriam
State patrolman's
traffic death 1st
in force history
The death of a State Patrol trooper
Sunday night in a collision between his
squad car and a semi-trailer truck in
Monroe County was the first death of
a trooper in a traffic accident in the
41-year history of the State Patrol, of-
ficials said Monday.
Gary Powless, 31, Black River
Falls, was killed when his westbound
squad car was struck by an eastbound
truck that had apparently blown a tire
and crossed the median on Interstate
94 about a mile north of Tomah....
Powless joined the State Patrol in
January 1979....
--excerpt from Madison Wisconsin State Journal; May 20, 1980
Spouse: P. L. M.
Marriage Date: 11 May 1974
Marriage County: Waukesha
Certificate Number: 011592
Name: Gary Powless
Social Security Number: xxxxxxx29
Birth Date: 8 Feb 1949
Issue Year: 1965
Issue State: Wisconsin
Death Date: May 1980
Name: Gary Gene Powless
Death Date: 18 May 1980
Location: Jackson
Death County: Monroe, Wisconsin, USA
Certificate: 012443
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