On Tuesday, the Mt. Juliet Police Department and the local community gathered to remember and honor the lives of Sgt. Jerry Mundy and Wilson County Sheriff’s Deputy John Musice were both tragically killed in the line of duty WSMV reported. The somber ceremony marked 21 years since the two officers were struck by a vehicle during a high-speed pursuit on Interstate 40.
In recalling the fateful events of that day, Mt. Juliet Police Chief Michael Mullins shared his deep-seated memories with WKRN, stating, "It was just disbelief at first I’ve seen some things I never want to see again and things that I wish I could forget that I saw," his recounting underscored the permanence of that trauma inflicted not just on the families but on the tight-knit law enforcement community that day. Trish Mundy Bollinger, Sgt. Mundy’s widow, stood alongside officers and community members at the very spot of the incident, reflecting on the importance of remembering those who served and sacrificed so much.
The driver of the runaway vehicle that caused the death of Sgt. Mundy and Deputy Musice was later convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to two life terms as documented on the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office memorial page; Sgt. Mundy, a 15-year veteran of the Mount Juliet Police Department, left behind a loving family that included his wife, four children, and siblings.
Mundy Bollinger's enduring commitment to supporting others impacted by similar tragedies is evident through her work with Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS), which offers critical resources like counseling and retreats for surviving relatives of officers, which was conveyed in her words to WKRN when she spoke on the broad scope of support they offer, stating, "It’s counseling, retreats for whatever relationship you were with that officer, whether you were a spouse, in-law, a parent." The remembrance ceremony serves as a stark reminder that for the families of officers who leave home and do not return, the community's memory and support persist even after two decades.
