SAVANNAH,GA ( April 17, 2012) A mile-and-a-half run to remember a Tybee Island Police lieutenant who died in the line of duty in 1999 will begin and end May 3 at the headquarters where he worked.
Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department recruits will be joined by other law enforcement officers, family members of other fallen lawmen and members of the public when they hold their fifth Run To Remember.
The run honors Lt. Clyde Wilson “Trey” Alley III who was killed April 12, 1999, at the age of 34. He was in pursuit of four car break-in suspects when his unmarked Tybee Island Police car struck two palm trees along US 80.
Recruits conduct the run on the last day of their 19-week formal training session as a way of remembering the 51 law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty in Chatham County. They usually are joined by current and retired members of the department, members of other departments in the area, and family members of other fallen officers as well as members of the public. Runners will convene at 9 a.m. for the run which will be followed by a memorial ceremony for Lt. Alley and the other fallen officers. The recruits will be pinned into the SCMPD the following day.
This year’s run begins at 10 a.m. at Tybee Island police headquarters at 78 Van Horne Street. Runners will travel north on Van Horne to Pulaski Street, east on Pulaski to Taylor Street, east on Taylor past the Tybee lighthouse to Meddin Drive, south on Meddin to Cedarwood Drive, east on Cedarwood (which becomes Van Horne Avenue and later 2nd Avenue) to Solomon Avenue, west on Solomon Avenue back to Van Horne Street and back to police headquarters. Anyone wishing to join the memorial run is invited to do so.
Lt. Alley and another officer were conducting surveillance when they noticed four suspicious persons they wanted to question. After stopping the suspects, the second officer approached the vehicle, which then fled. The officer got back into the unmarked car and Lt. Alley gave chase. The accident occurred approximately 3.5 miles away when the suspect’s vehicle possibly forced the patrol car off of the road. Lt. Alley was killed and the second officer injured.
One suspect turned himself in two days later and was charged with murder. He later was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter.
Lieutenant Alley had served with the Tybee Island Police Department for 10 years and was survived by a young child.
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