Billy W. Daugherty

Marietta Monitor

August 21, 1992, Front Page Courtesy of Ray and Elreeta Weathers

Submitted by: Martha N. Reddout

A former Marietta man and a 21 year veteran of the Dallas Police Department died last week of injuries suffered in a freak motorcycle accident. Senior Corporal Billy W. Daugherty, 41, was critically injured Monday, August 10, and never regained consciousness. He died Friday in Parkland Hospital and was buried Tuesday at Red Oak near Dallas.

Daugherty graduated from Marietta High School in May, 1969. He was an Eagle Scout and held key leadership roles in Marietta's Troop 32 while in High School. His mother, Margaret Allen, and brother, Delbert Daugherty, still live in Marietta. A second brother, Hughie Edwards, attended school in Marietta and now lives in Dallas.

He is also survived by three sons, Michael Daugherty, 20, Marietta, Christopher Daugherty, 18, Dallas and Sean Daugherty, 6, Dallas. He and his wife, Patricia, have been married for two years.

Daugherty was injured when he tried to merge into traffic on LBJ Freeway in north Dallas after spotting a speeder. He was accelerating on a median under Skillman Street when he hit a 4 inch roadway grade and lost control of his motorcycle.

The motorcycle cartwheeled down the freeway. Daugherty lost his helmet as he flipped and rolled 190 feet down the conrete. An investigation is being conducted by the Dallas Police Department to determine why the helmet came off.

Daugherty was a 21 year veteran with the Dallas Police Department and had been with the motorcycle squad since 1987. He had earned 40 commendations during his law enforcement career including a life saving award. He was named Dallas officer of the month in February 1979 while working as a traffic investigator.

Fellow officers described him as "one of the most hard working of all the motorcycle officers." Dallas Police Chief Bill Rathburn termed him "a very, very popular officer and a credit to the entire force."

Daugherty had assumed the nickname "Doughboy" and was praised by the officers who were assigned to his eight man motorcycle squad for his attitude. Senior Cpl. Joe Cheatham, one of his squad members, said Daugherty was "always a pleasure to be around, he was always coming up with ways to cheer up his fellow officers when they were depressed."

The Police Officers' Wives Auxiliary of the Dallas Police Association sponsored a candlelight vigil in the deceased officer's honor Monday night in downtown Dallas. Daugherty's funeral was held Tuesday morning at Highland Oaks Church of Christ in Dallas.

Bill "Doughboy" Daugherty

Marietta Monitor

August 21, 1992, page 4 Courtesy of Ray and Elreeta Weathers

Submitted by: Martha N. Reddout

Services for Bill "Doughboy" Daugherty, 41, were Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. in the Highland Oak Church of Christ, Dallas, Texas. Mr. Daugherty was born August 28, 1950, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and died August 14, 1992, in a Dallas hospital from injuries received in on on-duty motorcycle accident just before 1 p.m. on Monday.

A 1969 graduate of Marietta High School, Corporal Daugherty had been a Dallas police officer 21 years.

Survivors include his wife, Patricia Daugherty of the home; three sons, Michael Daugherty of Marietta, and Christopher Daugherty and Sean Daugherty of Dallas; his mother, Margaret Allen of Marietta; his father, Ralph Daugherty of Alabama; and three brothers, Delbert Daugherty of Marietta, Hugh Edwards of Dallas; and Chris Daugherty of Alabama.

Interment was in the Red Oak City Cemetery under the direction of the Sparkman-Hillcrest Funeral Home, Dallas.