Death Classification: Line of Duty Death
Agency: West Park Police Department
Served: Length of Service Unknown
Unit of Assignment / Detail: Motorcycle Division
District of Incident (Present Day): 019 - Town Hall
Cause of Death: Crash - Motorcycle
Age at Time of Death: 32
Timeline
Date of Birth: 13 Apr 1898
Date of Appointment:
Date of Incident: 08 Sep 1930
End of Watch: 09 Sep 1930
Date of Interment: 12 Sep 1930
Interment Details
Cemetery: Rosehill Cemetery - Chicago, Illinois
Grave Location: Unknown
Interment Disposition: Burial
Memorial Details
Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Panel # C-2
Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 14
Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 2, Line 28
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 17-E: 14
Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed
Service
Military Service: U.S. Army
Incident & Biographic Details
Park Policeman Thomas Locashio, Star #184, aged 32 years, was a veteran of the West Park Police Department, assigned to the Motorcycle Division.
On September 8, 1930, Officer Locashio was on duty and riding his police motorcycle on Lake Shore Drive. The officer was traveling Southbound on the city’s Outer Drive extension (present day Lake Shore Drive) when he struck a vehicle driving Westbound onto the outer extension at Barry Avenue. The auto was being driven by Charles Goldstein, age 17, of 5136 West Irving Park Road. Officer Locashio was thrown from the motorcycle and severely injured. He was transported to Columbus Memorial Hospital. After being examined it was determined by doctors that he had a broken neck, fractured skull and serious internal injuries. Officer Locashio lingered in the hospital until he succumbed to his injuries the next day on September 9, 1930.
Officer Locashio was waked at a chapel located at 2701 North Clark Street, his funeral mass was also held at the chapel. He was laid to rest on September 12, 1930 in St. Boniface Cemetery, 4901 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois. His remains were moved the following month to Rosehill Cemetery, 5800 North Ravenswood Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.
Park Policeman Thomas Locashio was born on April 13, 1898.
Officer Locashio served in the U.S. Army from June 29, 1916 thru April 12, 1917 in Company E, 7th Regiment Illinois Infantry and was Honorably Discharged at the rank of Private. He was survived by his wife, Lucille (nee Turk); two children; mother, Virginia (nee Gremia) and siblings: Ester, Philip and the late Angeline.
Chicago Police Department homicide file not found for this incident.
The West Park Police Department, in the City of Chicago, was disbanded on April 30, 1934. On May 1, 1934, the remaining officers were transferred to the Chicago Park District Police Department, which was organized on the same date. Four park District police departments, Irving, Lincoln, West, and South were consolidated into the Chicago Park District Police Department. Fallen officers of the West Park Police Department are currently honored on the memorial wall of the Chicago Police Department as Chicago Police Officers. Their stars are displayed in the Honored Star Case located in the lobby of the Chicago Police Department at 3510 South Michigan Avenue.