John Leddy, 19, of Long Island, died July 31, 1919, in the line-of-duty when his ambulance collided with a sidecar motorcycle at Court and Luquer Streets in Brooklyn, New York.
John was riding along with Ambulance Driver Michael O’Donnell and Ambulance Surgeon Smith when the ambulance swerved to avoid a tandem motorcycle.
The ambulance struck the curb and turned over. John was thrown under the ambulance along with both occupants of the motorcycle while the bike crashed into the overturned ambulance. John died of his injuries. Both occupants of the motorcycle suffered fractured skulls and were taken to Brooklyn Hospital. O’Donnell and Smith only sustained minor injuries in the crash.