Patrolman
Neil Gordon Thompson
LaPorte County Sheriff's Department
Sunday, September 21, 1980

Age: 30
Served: 3 years
Badge #: 28
Panel 28W, Line 1
Panel L33, Line 1

Incident Details

Cause of Death:
Vehicular assault
Date/Time of Incident:
Sunday, September 21, 1980
09:55 am
Incident to Death Duration:
Same day
Incident Location:
State Road 39 south of U.S. 6
Incident County:
LaPorte
Incident Township:
Noble
Weapon Used:
Motor vehicle
Suspect Disposition:
Sentenced to 12 years
Burial Place:
New Carlisle Cemetery, New Carlisle

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   Patrolman Neil Thompson was killed when a man fleeing other officers in a stolen ambulance intentionally rammed his patrol car.

   He had parked his marked squad car off the east side of State Road 39 over 1,720 feet south of U.S. 6 to avoid the oncoming speeding ambulance.

   As the driver of the Nappanee ambulance stolen from Elkhart General Hospital approached the squad car, he swerved from the roadway and intentionally struck it head-on causing Patrolman Thompson to die at the scene.

   The 38-year-old suspect was later found guilty but mentally ill and was sentenced to eight years for reckless homicide and four years for theft.

   Patrolman Thompson, from La Porte, was survived by his wife, parents, brother and sister.

Military Service


United States Army
Vietnam War
Specialist 5 (SP5) ▪ 1968–1970

Memorial Tribute

• In 2002, State Road 39 from U.S. 6 to U.S. 30 in LaPorte County was dedicated the Neil G. Thompson Memorial Highway in his honor.



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Patrolman Neil Gordon Thompson - LaPorte County Sheriff's Department - INLEM.org