Ptlm. Bennie D. Williams 1938-1963 |
Bennie Williams was born in Burlington,
Washington, on April 13, 1938. He moved to Lordsburg, New Mexico and
attended school there. On May 1, 1960, Bennie made application to
the New Mexico State Police and was hired. However, after his
appointment, the department learned that Bennie had claimed to be older
than he actually was, and that he did not meet the minimum age
requirement of 23. Bennie was a good officer and Chief Penn Winston
did not want to lose him, so he terminated him as a patrolman, then re-employed him as a radio operator in Las
Cruces until his 23rd birthday. On May 16, 1961, he was reinstated as a commissioned state police officer by Chief K. K.
Miller.
Bennie was assigned to Las Cruces until September 10, 1962, when he transferred to Elida. He was due to transfer to Tucumcari effective July 16, 1963; however, on July 9th at about 4:00 p.m., he was patrolling nine miles south of Portales when he lost control of his police car on a |
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| rain slick highway. The police car skidded off of the roadway and
overturned one and a half times coming to rest on its top. Witnesses at
the scene said Bennie was staggering close to his unit and
requested help, then collapsed. He died while en route to
Roosevelt Hospital in Portales. Bennie was buried in Lordsburg and was
survived by his wife, one daughter, and two sons.
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