Funny, Funny Stories From my days at Eden, P.D.

By Michael D. Martin, E.C.P.D. Retired

About the author...Michael Martin (pictured front row, far right in the 1981 photo) is a retired veteran of 25 years on the Eden City Police Department, and has penned a number of anecdotal writings recalling his experiences.

LVI. James A. Parker, North Carolina Highway Patrol

     Jim Parker was killed in the line of duty, John Smith III taught him to fly a helicopter and he was flying over the area of Lake Reidsville, looking for a field  of Marijuanna when he flew into a power line. Trooper Parker and Trooper Hackett were killed instantly...this was Hackett's first ride in a helicopter.

 

     When the word came, I was on duty and sped to the wreck site and stood on the side of the road and cried like a baby. Trooper James A. Parker was a legend in Rockingham County Law Enforcement. Jim Parker  and Sgt. Hackett had tried to recruit me for the North Carolina Highway Patrol School, I was married and Bobbi had no enthusiasm for living in Lumberton, Sparta or Monroe...Things were shaky because we moved from Bassett, Virginia to Spray....

 

     Now, for the funny part.....you know by now, there is going to be a funny part. I joined the Spray Police
 Department in 1966.....Parker was already a legend, as was Mo Varner... fat Vestal and  were working one late  night when we got a call that Parker was on 770 North above  "The Red Barn Saloon" and needed some assistance, We were less than a mile away and sped there expecting a fight....The Red Barn was famous for those.......usually, it was deputies calling for help....this time it was NCSHP...We knew this was gonna be a hellova fight.....Fat and I passed thru Moyertown at eighty MPH, fearing that Parker was in a struggle. There were two bars up the road about a mile and a fella could get himself killed at either....order a beer and take your choice.

 

     Parker was standing beside his cruiser, Meeks was in the rear seat and Parker explained, he just needed me to drive Meek's car back to the stationhouse. I happily agreed since I knew I was not going to have to fight six or seven rowdy drunks. So far, so good....Parker left with the drunk driver, Fat left following him and I left in Meek's car.....about a quarter  mile down the road...

     I felt something wet under me....It got worse, I realized Meeks had peed all in his seat and I was sitting in it...nothing to do but drive to the station, sitting in a pool of pee. When I got to the Spray station, Fat had taken Meeks in to the Magistrate and Parker was standing in front of his cruiser laughing so hard he could not stand up straight....he knew. I had to go home in the middle of the night and change clothes.......but I still cried like a baby when Parker was killed.

Michael D. Martin


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