THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY DALLY, ADOLPH, BAKER, BELFANTI, BEYER, BISHOP, BOBACK, BOYD, BURNS, CALTAGIRONE, CASORIO, COHEN, D. COSTA, COX, CREIGHTON, DELOZIER, DeLUCA, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, J. EVANS, EVERETT, FAIRCHILD, FLECK, FREEMAN, GEIST, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, GROVE, GRUCELA, HARPER, HARRIS, HELM, HENNESSEY, HESS, HUTCHINSON, KAUFFMAN, M. KELLER, KESSLER, KILLION, KORTZ, KOTIK, KULA, LONGIETTI, MAJOR, MANN, MARKOSEK, MARSICO, McCALL, MELIO, METCALFE, MICOZZIE, MILLARD, MOUL, MURPHY, MUSTIO, OBERLANDER, D. O'BRIEN, M. O'BRIEN, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PAYNE, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, PYLE, QUINN, RAPP, READSHAW, REED, REICHLEY, ROAE, ROHRER, ROSS, SAINATO, SAMUELSON, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, K. SMITH, SOLOBAY, SONNEY, STABACK, STERN, STEVENSON, SWANGER, TRUE, VEREB, VULAKOVICH, WANSACZ, WATERS, WATSON, WHEATLEY AND YOUNGBLOOD, MARCH 31, 2009

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, MARCH 31, 2009  

A RESOLUTION

Expressing condolences upon the death of Police Officer Richard

Matthews, a heroic son of Pennsylvania, who died in the line

of duty in Wilmington, North Carolina, on February 18, 2009.

WHEREAS, Police Officer Richard Matthews, of the Wilmington,

North Carolina Police Department, responded to help a fellow

officer arrest drug suspects shortly after 1 a.m. on February

18, 2009; and

WHEREAS, As he drove east on Shipyard Boulevard in Wilmington

on his way to the scene, Officer Matthews lost control of his

car, crashed and died from injuries sustained in the crash; and

WHEREAS, Preliminary investigations by the Wilmington Police

Department and the North Carolina Highway Patrol indicate that

Officer Matthews lost control of his vehicle upon swerving to

miss a box that lay in the middle of the road; and

WHEREAS, A native son of Pennsylvania, Officer Matthews knew,

even while a student at Liberty High School, that he wanted to

be a policeman; and

WHEREAS, After serving with the New York City Police

Department for two years, Officer Matthews was hired by the City

of Wilmington late in 2006 and received a commendation for

carrying a 96-year-old woman to safety from a burning building;

and

WHEREAS, Although only 28 years of age at the time of his

death, Officer Matthews was a distinguished police officer and

heroic native son of this Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, He is survived by his parents, Margaret and Dennis

Matthews, of Bethlehem; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives express

condolences upon the death of Police Officer Richard Matthews, a

heroic son of Pennsylvania, who died in the line of duty in

Wilmington, North Carolina, on February 18, 2009; and be it

further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to

his parents, Margaret and Dennis Matthews, 4650 Kathi Drive,

Bethlehem, PA 18017.