Collection: FND002 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Peace Officer Memorial Program
Series:
Tribute
Folder:
DIG
Item:
02810
Title:
Robert D. Martin
Date:
Creator:
Inscription/Marks:
2/28/1939
Summary:
Robert D. Martin - City Police Officer
Grand Forks - Thursday 13 October 1966
City policeman traffic victim
A Grand Forks police officer is dead as a result of a collision on Second Avenue North Wednesday night, October 12, 1966. The victim was Robert Martin, 27, 1119 19th Ave South, who died in a Grand Forks hospital at 11:45 p.m. The accident occurred about 10:15 p.m. Martin's motorcycle struck the right rear fender of a car driven by William Oas, 54, 2019 Second Avenue North, who was making a left turn into his driveway.
A state's attorney inquiry into Martin's death was opened Thursday afternoon in the county commissioner’s office at the courthouse.
No charge had been filed in connection with the accident. Police were continuing an investigation of the case.
Police Chief Duane Knutson, who investigated the accident, said Martin was on motorcycle patrol duty and was traveling east at about 25 miles an hour when the accident occurred. A pickup truck was traveling behind the motorcycle about a car length back.
Knutson said an eyewitness reported that the Oas car, traveling west, turned left suddenly into his home driveway as Martin was approaching the car. Martin immediately went into emergency procedure throwing his cycle down on its left side but apparently was injured when the cycle skidded under the right side of the Oas car. He was thrown 20 to 25 feet.
Martin was taken to the hospital by ambulance and died there about 1-1/2 hours later. His wife was with him when he died.
Knutson termed Martin "an excellent officer who was interested in law enforcement as a profession." He was department instructor for the motorcycle riders who work the city's residential area.
He had just written civil service examinations for promotion to detective or to sergeant and was eligible to write examinations for a police lieutenancy Thursday night.
Martin had been in police work six years, first as deputy sheriff at Williston, ND, then as a patrolman under Knutson when Knutson was chief at Williston, and finally on the Grand Forks police force.
Funeral services were held at Holy Family Catholic Church with Rev. John Axtman officiating. Burial was in Calvary Cemetery.
Mr. Martin was born at Williston, February 28, 1939. He attended Williston elementary and high school before serving in the Navy from 1956 to 1960. He was a star football player at Williston High School.
He married Arlene Gapp at Langdon, ND November 20, 1965. She survives, as do six brothers, Gary Martin, Culbertson, MT, Thomas Martin, Travis Air Force Base, CA, William Martin, Fort Peck, MT, and Dennis Martin Griggs, Great Lakes, IL Naval Station, Lyle Martin Griggs, with the Air Force in Florida, and Douglas Martin Griggs, stationed with the Marine Corps on Okinawa. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Martin, are deceased.
Mr. Martin joined the Williston Police Department following his discharge from the Navy and came to Grand Forks in January 1965 to join the local police department.
He was a member of the Elks Lodge, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the North Dakota and Red River Valley Peace Officers Associations and Holy Family Church.
Red ID: FND_I_77313 Image ID: 509133 Image Notes: 10950 00002 02810
