Conway Mourns Loss of Police Officer
By: Brittney Johnson, KARK 4 News
Updated: February 1, 2013
The City of Conway is mourning the loss of a police officer.
Officer William McGary served Conway for nearly two years before he was hit by a car while working an accident scene Thursday night.
Before Thursday's tragic accident, people who knew him say he was proud to be a police officer.
"Will is a great young man, I've had the privilege of being his pastor for the last 13 years," says Brother Hays, McGary's pastor. "He was a great young man in high school growing up, and I know that he had his dream job."
The police department describes McGary as being well-liked by his peers at the department.
Officer McGary was flown by helicopter to Baptist Hospital in Little Rock, where friends, family and fellow officers hoped he'd pull through.
Employees at a gas station near where the accident occurred remember his visits inside the store, and are saddened by news of his death.
"I have been on this corner 15 years, and Conway PD is always there for everyone," says store owner Steve Joseph. "He was doing his job. It's a tragedy, no one can justify how a person can do this."
"Death is hard on everybody, especially an officer trying to protect us," says store employee Crystal Gray. "He was trying to prevent other wrecks from happening while he was doing his job, and somebody hit him. It's pretty bad."
Chaplains with the Conway Police Department will be available to help officers cope with the loss of Officer William McGary.
Officer William McGary served Conway for nearly two years before he was hit by a car while working an accident scene Thursday night.
Before Thursday's tragic accident, people who knew him say he was proud to be a police officer.
"Will is a great young man, I've had the privilege of being his pastor for the last 13 years," says Brother Hays, McGary's pastor. "He was a great young man in high school growing up, and I know that he had his dream job."
The police department describes McGary as being well-liked by his peers at the department.
Officer McGary was flown by helicopter to Baptist Hospital in Little Rock, where friends, family and fellow officers hoped he'd pull through.
Employees at a gas station near where the accident occurred remember his visits inside the store, and are saddened by news of his death.
"I have been on this corner 15 years, and Conway PD is always there for everyone," says store owner Steve Joseph. "He was doing his job. It's a tragedy, no one can justify how a person can do this."
"Death is hard on everybody, especially an officer trying to protect us," says store employee Crystal Gray. "He was trying to prevent other wrecks from happening while he was doing his job, and somebody hit him. It's pretty bad."
Chaplains with the Conway Police Department will be available to help officers cope with the loss of Officer William McGary.
