End of Watch: 09/01/1967
Agency: Seattle Police Department
County: King County
On 9-1-1967 around 9:00 a.m., Officer David P. Richards, 28, was on duty and in his tenth and final day of SPD motorcycle training. The training officers, Merle Dickhaut and R. J. Thomas were with four SPD motorcycle officer trainees travelling north on Interstate 5.
Mr. Vernon Hammond was in his car behind the police motorcycles. As the motorcycles approached the Bothell Way exit, Hammond observed that the rear wheel of Officer Richards’ motorcycle was wobbling badly. The motorcycle went out of control and hit the left guardrail. The motorcycle flipped, and Officer Richards was thrown some distance. Officer Richards was killed instantly.
Officer Richards was survived by his wife, Marianne, and his two daughters, Janice and Eileen. He was also survived by his parents, sister and grandparents. His funeral was held on September 6, 1967 at Green’s Chapel of the Valley in Redmond. Officer Richards was buried at Cedar Lawns Memorial Park in Redmond.
David P. Richards was born on 9-14-1938 in Seattle. He grew up in the Seattle area. He married Marianne Mannell on 10-24-1958. David was a police officer in Redmond for several years. He was a police officer in California for a short time before returning to Washington in 1966. He was commissioned as a Seattle police officer on December 5, 1966. After graduation from the police academy, he was assigned to the Traffic Division.
Officer Richards served the Seattle Police Department for 9 months. He is survived by his wife and 2 daughters.