Service information for southwest Iowa sheriff's deputy who died on duty in crash with combine
Services for Fremont County Sheriff's Deputy Austin "Melvin" Richarson, who died in a traffic crash with a combine earlier this week, include a visitation Friday and funeral Saturday.
Richardson, 37, of Sidney was on duty and driving north in a marked patrol 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe on U.S. Highway 275 near 260th Street when he collided with a southbound combine driven by a Missouri man. The crash happened around 12:35 p.m., just south of Sidney, which sits about 12 miles north of the Missouri border.
The John Deere S770 combine was wider than the width of the lane it was in, according to a crash report from the Iowa State Patrol, and the left front tire on the combine was across the center line when Richardson's vehicle collided with it. Richardson was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, the report showed.
State patrol authorities are still investigating the collision.
Richarson was born on April 5, 1985, in Omaha, to Uwe August and Vicki Sue (Lyons) Richardson, according to his obituary. He was raised in Hamburg and graduated from Hamburg High School in 2004.
He went on to study criminal justice at Peru State College before attending the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center starting in May 2008, where he received his law enforcement certification on Aug. 7, 2008. Richardson was certified as a law enforcement officer through an exam at Iowa Law Enforcement Academy on June 26, 2012.
Richardson started his law enforcement career with the Auburn (Nebraska) Police Department in 2007 and then joined the Sidney Police Department in 2011, according to a news release from the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
In 2015, he became a deputy with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office. Richardson also served many years with the Sidney and Percival fire departments, the obituary said.
He is survived by his wife, Jennifer Richardson, of Sidney; daughters Bryxtol, Cheyenne Richardson and Everly Richardson; mother; siblings; grandparents; nieces and nephews; and friends.
Following the service, the procession will leave Sidney High School and travel west on Knox Road, according to a release from the department of public safety. The procession will then turn south on Bluff Road, entering Hamburg on E Street. Then, it will travel north on Argyle Street to the Hamburg Cemetery.
The public can stand along the processional route, with flags and signs to show their support, the release said. The community will also be able to visit the patrol car display that will be located at the high school during the services.
Public visitation, funeral service
A public visitation was scheduled from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, June 17, 2022, at Sidney High School, located at 2754 Knox Road in Sidney.
Richardson's funeral service was scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, June 18, 2022, at Sidney High School, with burial following at Hamburg Cemetery with law enforcement and fire department honors.
Donations
Donations can be made at the Malvern State Bank in care of the Jennifer Richardson Support Fund at 404 Main Street, Malvern, Iowa, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
Donations for Jennifer Richardson and her family will also be accepted at Hilltop Animal Hospital. Gift cards to Casey's (for gas) and Wal-Mart (for groceries and other needed items) will also be accepted at Hilltop Animal Hospital, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, the Mills County Sheriff’s Office or mailed to the clinic at:
Jennifer Richardson
c/o Hilltop Animal Hospital
422 Main Street
Malvern, Iowa 51551
Virginia Barreda is a trending and general assignment reporter for the Des Moines Register. She can be reached at vbarreda@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Funeral set for Fremont County, Iowa, sheriff's deputy killed on duty in crash
