Detective Sergeant Edward Francis Wilkinson, Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, California

Detective Sergeant Edward Francis Wilkinson

Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, California

End of Watch Sunday, April 17, 1977

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Edward Francis Wilkinson

Detective Sergeant Edward Wilkinson was killed when the police helicopter he was piloting crashed while searching for a missing child.

Sergeant Wilkinson was returning to the helicopter hangar at the Sonoma County Airport after searching for a missing nine-year-old girl when the helicopter ran out of fuel and crashed into a field on Barnes Road, approximately one-half mile south of River Road.

Sergeant Wilkinson was severely injured and succumbed to his injuries later that night. Reserve Deputy Gloria Baxter suffered major injuries but ultimately recovered.

Sergeant Wilkinson had served with the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office for 17 years. He started the Department's helicopter program and was its first pilot. He was survived by his wife, three children, and parents.

The Wilkinson Valor Award was created in Sergeant Wilkinson's memory to honor fellow officers for acts of heroism and courage above and beyond the call of duty.

Sergeant Wilkinson's ashes were scattered at sea.

Bio

Age 42
Tour 17 years
Badge Not available

Incident Details

Cause Aircraft accident

missing person, helicopter crash

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Our dispatch center received a call from an anonymous citizen that our department helicopter (Angel 1) had crashed. The person gave a general rural county area as the location. I was on patrol and located the crash. Both occupants were still alive but the pilot (Sgt. Wilkinson) had obvious back injuries and unknown internal injuries. He had also been rendered blind by the accident. Sgt. Wikinson died of his injuries shortly afterwards. I was detailed to notify his family of the crash and of his death. The observer (Reserve Deputy Gloria Baxter) spent many months in the hospital recovering from her injuries.

Another helicopter crash (Angel 2) on October 23, 1980 took the lives of 2 more of our deputies. See Deputy Bliss Magly and Deputy Brent Jameson on ODMP for further information.

Our helicopter program continues to provide valuable and life saving service to our county (Sonoma County CA) and surrounding jurisdictions.

This was the first of 2 line of duty death notifications to family of my friends and fellow deputies that I was to make during my 31 year career with the Sheriff’s Office.

Rest in Peace my Brothers.

Captain Mike Brown
Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office (CA)

November 16, 2024