Page 7 - Florida Sentinel 3-19-21

Local
Funeral Services Held For Fallen MPO Jesse Madsen
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Funeral services were held for Tampa Police MPO (Master Patrol Officer) Jesse Madsen Tuesday morning. He was killed in a head-on collision last Tues- day. The fallen officer was married and the father of three children.
The funeral services were held at Idlewild Baptist Church at 11 a.m. A formal procession took MPO Mad- sen to his final resting place at the Florida National Cemetery, in Bushnell, FL. Following the service an out- door tribute and a formal procession and 21-gun salute, along with the final radio call was held.
MPO JESSE MADSEN
There a private burial took place. After the service, a full military honors ceremony took place at graveside.
MPO Madsen joined the
Tampa Police Department 16-1/2 years ago. During his career, he was the recipient of seven (7) Tampa Police Department Life-Saving Awards.
Prior to becoming a Tampa Police Officer, MPO Madsen served at two other police departments. He was also a U. S. Marines Combat Veteran, and in the U. S. Army Reserves.
MPO Madsen’s name has been added to the list of fallen officers who died in the line of duty. Two police cruis- ers will also bear his name in honor of his memory.
The Accident
According to the Tampa Police Department, shortly before 1 a.m., officers were dispatched information
about a white vehicle travel- ing at a high rate of speed and swerving through the lanes. The vehicle was travel- ing southbound in the north- bound lanes between Sligh Avenue and Hillsborough Avenue, witnesses told po- lice.
Witnesses also told police that MPO Madsen had in- tentionally driven his SUV into the path of the oncoming car to save the lives of others.
The driver of the other ve- hicle has been identified as 25-year-old Joshua Mon- tague, of Colorado. The rented vehicle he was driving was traveling at a high rate of speed at the time of the crash.
The collision took place less than a minute after the
information was dispatched, police said.
MPO Madsen died at the scene. His body was given a police escort to the Hillsbor- ough County Medical Exam- iner’ Office.
MPO Madsen became the 32nd officer to die in the line of duty. He is also the third officer to die in a traffic accident in the last three months.
Donations
Anyone wishing to make a donation in person can sub- mit donations to any Bank of Tampa Branch in MPO Madsen’s name.
Donations by check or money order can be mailed to: RISE Tampa, i/c/o MPO Madsen, P. O. Box 172816, Tampa, FL 33672.
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