On April 15, 1944, Officer Joseph E. Shawhan died as a result of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle crash while pursuing a traffic violator. The pursuit occurred in the rain on the George Washington Memorial Parkway in the vicinity of Wellington Boulevard. Officer Shawhan’s right front wheel had run onto a soft shoulder causing him to lose control. The cruiser crossed the parkway and crashed into a tree.
Officer Shawhan was scheduled to have retired in two months. He was 60 years old and was a 24-year veteran of the United States Park Police. Officer Shawhan was also a 9-year United States Army veteran who served in World War I and the Moro Campaign in the Philippine Islands.
We honor his service and commitment to duty.