On New Year's Eve, 1926, Officer Reid was struck down by a car driven by a
Thomasboro resident at the intersection of College and Trade Streets, as he was directing
traffic to prevent congestion at Independence Square.Officer Reid, a 49 year old Union
County native, died of a brain concussion on New Year's Day, 1927 as a result of the
accident.
According to newspaper accounts, residents of North Carolina lined the streets to watch
the funeral procession the next day as it left the Reid home and progressed to Duncan
Memorial Methodist Church on North Brevard Street.
Hundreds thronged the church for the final rites. Several squads of blue coated city
police and one squad of rural police formed the escort for the body to the grave site, and
Officer Reid was buried "with all the honors the police department could
bestow."
