Arizona police officer who recently returned to full duty resigns after deadly collision

PHOENIX – A northern Arizona police officer resigned on Tuesday, three days after he was involved in a deadly collision, authorities said.

Jacob Buckwald had returned to full patrol duty less than a month before Saturday’s fatal crash, according to the Flagstaff Police Department.

The Flagstaff officer’s duty had been restricted for over a year following a 2024 collision that was attributed to a medical emergency.

Around 7:30 a.m. Saturday, he was involved in a two-vehicle collision on Butler Avenue near Sinagua Heights Drive.

The other driver was pronounced dead at the scene. At the request of his family, the victim’s identity has not been released by police.

The officer received treatment for minor injuries and was released from Flagstaff Medical Center the same day, police said.

Officer resigns after being put on leave

Buckwald was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation, but the officer resigned for medical reasons within days.

The cause of the crash has not yet been determined, police said. The Arizona Department of Public Safety is conducting an independent investigation of the incident.

It wasn’t Buckwald’s first collision while he was on duty.

On June 28, 2024, he experienced a sudden medical emergency that caused an injury collision at Fourth Street and E. Route 66, according to police.

He was placed on medical leave until doctors cleared him to return to light duty — without driving — on Dec. 9.

He underwent multiple medical evaluations over the ensuing months and gained final medical clearance in July of this year, police said.

He returned to modified duty on Aug. 4 and full patrol duty on Aug. 31, three weeks before Saturday’s deadly collision.

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