On December 29, 1999, Park Police officers and investigators conducted an investigation of an accident at Arlington National Cemetery in which a 20-year-old contract worker was fatally injured. Although the cemetery is under the jurisdiction of the Army, the Park Police investigate accidents and criminal activities under an interagency agreement. The victim was driving an ATV which was pulling a trailer with a dozen headstones, each weighing 208 pounds. He was driving down a hill in the sleet and rain when he lost control of the vehicle and attempted to jump off. His clothing got caught on the vehicle, though, and he was subsequently pinned against a tree by the ATV and its cargo.
Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard