Mesa police officer dies in off-duty motorcycle accident

PHOENIX — An off-duty Mesa police officer has died in a motorcycle accident in Washington state.

Mesa Police said Kurt Allen Carlson, 42, lost control of his motorcycle Monday night near Twisp, Washington, close to the Canadian border. The bike eventually came to stop in a river.

Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office said Carlson was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 17 ½-year veteran of the force had been training the unit assigned to patrol Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. He held those duties for 10 years.

Before that, Carlson also had been on patrol, then a detective attached to the Mesa Family Advocacy Center.

Carlson was married and the father of two.

The department posted on Facebook:

His loss will profoundly affect all of us who were fortunate to share time with him. Please keep his squad, friends, and family in your thoughts and prayers.”

No details of services have been released.

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