John Robert Kotfila Jr: Body Of Brave Police Officer Who Saved Woman In Wrong-Way Collision Arrives Home

Firefighters, local police, and citizens lined the road as a State police-escorted motorcade arrived in Falmouth, Massachusetts, with the body of Deputy Sherriff John Robert Kotfila Jr. on Sunday evening.

According to a CBS Boston report, hundreds of law enforcement officers and citizens followed the procession from Logan Airport to pay their respects to the fallen officer of the Hillsborough County Sherriff’s Department, whose cruiser was struck by a wrong-way driver in Brandon, Florida, near Tampa, on March 12. Kotfila Jr. had worked for the sheriff’s office for six years.

Thank you to everyone who came out to help us “Light the Way” for fallen @HCSOSheriff Deputy John Kotfila Jr.. pic.twitter.com/CtydiUFz4y

— Duxbury Police (@Duxbury_Police) March 20, 2016

According to department spokesman Larry McKinnon, Kotfila was driving his patrol cruiser on the eastbound side of the expressway when he had a head-on collision with the wrong-way driver, Erik Thomas McBeth, 31. McBeth had died at the car wreck while Kotfila succumbed to his injuries at Tampa General Hospital, McKinnon said. McKinnon said investigations into the crash were ongoing to determine if alcohol or drugs played a role in the fatal crash. Reports say the courageous officer had actually driven his patrol car into the path of a female driver headed towards the wrong-way vehicle.

Hillsborough County Sherriff David Gee hailed Kotfila’s exemplary bravery and how he gave his life so that another person could live.

“Serving and protecting—that’s what these men and women do. We can all go to sleep at night knowing there are law enforcement officers like John out there doing what they’ve sworn to do. Doing what they do because it’s right. Doing what they do because it’s who they are.”

Gee read from Kotfila’s recruitment application, where the deputy sheriff had expressed a strong interest in law enforcement and helping people.

“In this business, the highest honor is to have a reputation as a solid troop, one who can be counted on when the chips are down. I’m proud and honored to call John a hero today, he earned it and deserved it,” Gee concluded.

Dep Sheriff John Kotfila was laid to rest in Mass. today. He served Hillsborough County in Florida 6yrs. RIP Salute. pic.twitter.com/ApZwjrI5q0

— I love my U.S.A (@WEdwarda) March 18, 2016

A wake-keeping service is scheduled at the Chapman, Cole, and Gleason Funeral Home Tuesday in his hometown of Falmouth. A funeral mass with full ceremonial honors is penciled on Wednesday at the Falmouth St. Patrick’s Church.

Florida sheriff’s deputy, Kotfila Jr. comes from a long line of Massachusetts police officers. He is the son of Massachusetts State Police Sergeant John R. Kotfila Sr and has a brother Michael serving with the Falmouth Police Department. His grandfathers on both sides were also law enforcement officers. His maternal grandfather was a Massachusetts State Police lieutenant while his paternal grandfather worked with the Holyoke, Massachusetts Police Department.

John Robert Kotfila Jr. graduated with a degree from the Westfield State University and moved to Florida where his grandparents lived to start a career in law enforcement. Kotfila Sr. said his son had chosen the Hillsborough County Sherrif’s Office because of its good standing and reputation.

The Falmouth Police Facebook page posted a picture of the Hillsborough County sheriff’s badge covered in a black band, the customary symbol of a law enforcement agency in bereavement.

The department in a post lauded the fact that Deputy John Kotfila Jr. came from a family of honorable service being a third-generation police officer and asked for prayers for his wife, two surviving daughters, extended family members, and the men and women of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Department.

Kotfila was a traffic crash investigator always out helping the injured, writing reports, and investigating vehicular accidents. At 1 a.m. he was working on his fifth crash of the day that involved an adult and teenager. He had driven to Tampa General Hospital to see how they were doing and was heading home around 2:45 a.m. when he died.

[Image via Monica Herndon/The Tampa Bay Times via AP, Pool]