Tampa Police Officer Died Protecting Others: Chief

TAMPA, FL — State officials and law enforcement agencies throughout the state are reaching out to the Tampa Police Department after a police officer sacrificed his own life to save others.

Tuesday morning, Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan announced the solemn news that Tampa Master Patrol Officer Jesse Madsen, 45, was the 32nd officer in the department to die in the line of duty.

Madsen was killed early Tuesday morning when he veered his police cruiser into the path of a wrong-way driver on Interstate 75 to prevent the wrong-way driver from crashing into other cars on the highway.

A 16-year veteran of the Tampa police, Madsen was a decorated police officer and a seven-time recipient of police life-saving awards.

"When you look at someone who's earned seven life-saving awards, it's no surprise that he would take such swift action and do this," Dugan said, referring to Madsen's heroic actions.

A United States Marine combat veteran, Madsen was a police officer in Lyndhorst and Shaker Heights, Ohio, before coming to Tampa. He is survived by his wife and three children, two sons ages 16 and 12 and a 10-year-old daughter.

"This a tragedy. You know, our community has been rocked by these wrong-way drivers, and it's just a complete tragedy that a husband and father of (three) is now gone," Dugan said.

The call came in just before 1 a.m. about a white car speeding south in the northbound lanes between Hillsborough and Sligh avenues.

The other driver, 25-year-old Joshua Daniel Montague of Golden, Colorado, was also killed in the crash. He was driving a rental car.

"We believe he got on at Busch Boulevard, but we're still working through some of that," said Dugan.

"This is a very difficult day for our entire community," Mayor Jane Castor said, speaking in front of the Tampa Police Department's memorial. "Officer Madsen has seven life-saving awards in 16 1/2 years. That's an incredible testament to his service to our community. In the last seconds of his life if he took steps to try to save others by laying down his own life, that really is a true testament to the kind of individual he was."

Castor said she visited with Madsen's family Tuesday morning.

"They are truly devastated," she said. "They are very, very thankful for the thoughts and prayers of the community."

Castor said the city will light up City Hall and its bridges in blue in honor of Madsen.