Heroic FL Officer Honored with Monument Made from His Crashed Patrol Car

When Tampa Police Officer Jesse Madsen steered his police vehicle into the path of a wrong-way driver last March, he made a split-second decision that cost him his life, but likely saved the lives of other drivers on I-275.

Tampa Officer Jesse Madsen was killed in March 2021 while protecting other drivers from a wrong-way driver. (Photo: City of Tampa)

Tuesday, his family and fellow officers watched as a new law enforcement memorial was unveiled at District One headquarters, Fox 13 reports.

It’s a metal sculpture made from parts of Madsen’s mangled patrol car along with guns that were taken off the street. The sculpture depicts a majestic lion, six feet tall, ready to pounce. 

"A lion was very much like how Jesse (Madsen) was, fierce and protective, but still family oriented," said Tampa Police Major Eric Defelice, a co-worker and close friend. "So, it really embodied what Jesse meant to us."

The sculpture was created by Tampa metal artist Dominique Martinez, owner of Rustic Steel. He says he and