Fallen Heroes - Officer Robert E. Yeszerski

Let us pause to remember our Fallen Heroes from the Town of Seat Pleasant Police Department, Officer William R. Clements, and the Prince George’s County Police Department, Officer Robert E. Yeszerski, lost this day in 1968 while attempting to impound an abandoned vehicle in George Sector.


On the morning of November 30, 1968, members of the Town of Seat Pleasant Police Department contacted a resident of the 7000 Block of Grieg Court in Seat Pleasant, Maryland, regarding his inoperable vehicle being illegally parked in front of his residence. The owner was ordered to remove the vehicle at which time he made verbal threats to kill any police officer who took enforcement action with respect to his vehicle. Later that day, Ofc. Clements responded back to the location of incident to impound the vehicle because the owner failed to comply with the earlier directive. Ofc. Yeszerski responded to assist based on the previous threats. Upon the arrival of the officers, the vehicle owner suddenly emerged from his residence, approached the officers from behind, and produced a handgun. He then opened fire, fatally wounding Ofc. Clements and Ofc. Yeszerski.

Ofc. Clements served the Town of Seat Pleasant Police Department for four years and was the first member of that agency to make the Ultimate Sacrifice.

Ofc. Yeszerski joined the Prince George’s County Police Department on November 6, 1967, as a member of Session 3-67, a class that would ultimately lose three of its members in the Line of Duty. He served this Agency for one year and was the sixth member thereof to make the Ultimate Sacrifice.

Ofc. Clements and Ofc. Yeszerski were the seventh and eighth law enforcement officers to give their lives in service to this Profession within Prince George’s County, Maryland.

At the time of his death, Officer William R. Clements was 24 years old and survived by his wife and young daughter.

At the time of his death, Officer Robert E. Yeszerski was 23 years old and survived by his expectant wife and two young children.