PUNTA GORDA — A traveling group of motorcyclists stopped in Punta Gorda to honor a fallen Charlotte County deputy Wednesday afternoon.
The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office received members of Beyond the Call of Duty at their Utilities Road headquarters, along with members of Deputy Christopher Taylor’s family.
Taylor, a rookie road patrol deputy, was killed in November 2022 after being run over by a drunk driver on Interstate 75.
Both passing civilians and members of Taylor’s own squad attempted to save his life before he succumbed to his wounds. He was 23.
Taylor was one of 245 law enforcement officers across the United States to die in the line of duty, according to the Spokane, Washington-based Beyond the Call of Duty.
In 2023, the group recorded 135 officers killed in the line of duty.
Beyond the Call of Duty sponsors an annual expedition, with motorcyclists escorting a mobile trailer with names and pictures of fallen officers.
CCSO staff and members of the Taylor family greeted the small convoy upon their arrival, with a small ceremony commemorating the occasion.