NYPD Sergeant Collapses, Dies During Coffee Break
By Rocco Parascandola
Source New York Daily News
NEW YORK -- An NYPD sergeant collapsed and died in Van Cortlandt Park of an apparent heart attack, a police union official said Thursday.
Sgt. Richard Wetzel, 50, who joined the force in 1992 and was approaching the end of his 25th year of service, typically walked through the Bronx park on a break to get a coffee.
On Wednesday morning, Mullins said, a call came from One Police Plaza that Bronx Warrants needed to prepare for a CompStat presentation, said Ed Mullins, head of the Sergeants Benevolent Association.
"He told the lieutenant he was gonna go get a coffee then come back and start working on CompStat," Mullins said. "He was on his way to Dunkin Donuts for his iced coffee when he collapsed."
A woman walking through the park called 911 and administered CPR on Wetzel until an ambulance crew showed up.
He was rushed to Montefiore Hospital, where he died about an hour later, at 12:45 p.m.
"It was a total shock," Mullins said.
Wetzel leaves behind a wife and three children — a daughter, 19, and sons 18 and 15, according to Mullins.
In 2012 Wetzel had a brush with fame when "Bronx Warrants," a script he wrote with a retired warrants cop, David Joglar, caught the attention of actor Denis Leary.
A planned TV pilot for cable's FX channel never materialized, though Mullins said there had been recent talk of kickstarting the project.
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