Wheaton Pool Renamed To Honor Fallen Police Officer

WHEATON, MD — Montgomery County will remember the 2010 fallen police officer Sergeant Hector I. Ayala by renaming the Wheaton Glenmont Outdoor Pool in his honor.

Sergeant Ayala was 31 years old when he was killed in the line of duty on April 4, 2010. He was the 16th Montgomery County Police Officer and first Hispanic officer to die in the line of duty.

"He was an exemplary officer whose skills, professionalism and involvement with the community during his seven-year career in the 4th Police District made a strong impact on the greater Wheaton Glenmont communities," a statement from Montgomery County reads.

According to WJLA, Ayala died in a single vehicle crash as he raced in his police car on his way to a call. He was driving on Randolph Road, near Denley Road in Wheaton, when his police cruiser struck a tree.

When Ayala died, he and his wife had a one-year old son, and his wife was pregnant with triplets.

“One of them looks just like Hector," Officer Phil Meyer said of Ayala's children. "I look at her and I just start laughing because I see him. It's a good feeling."

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, Montgomery County Councilmembers Marc Elrich and Nancy Navarro, Police Chief Tom Manger and Director of the Department of Recreation Gabe Albornoz will lead a ceremony to change the name of the County’s Wheaton Glenmont Outdoor Pool to the Sergeant Hector I. Ayala Wheaton Glenmont Outdoor Pool on Tuesday, April 4.

They will be joined by Sergeant Ayala’s personal family, police family, friends and interested residents and community members to unveil the new pool entrance sign at 5 p.m. at the Glenmont Local Park Activity Building at 3201 Randolph Rd., Wheaton.

Photo: Montgomery County Police Department