William “Bill” Taylor, a longtime Columbus police sergeant, Crime Stoppers leader and familiar traffic reporter whose voice guided central Ohio commuters for more than four decades, has died. He was 80.
Taylor died June 14 at Riverside Methodist Hospital surrounded by family, according to an obituary released by his family.
For many Columbus residents, Taylor was best known as “Sgt. Bill Taylor,” the trusted traffic reporter heard on Sunny 95’s Yellow Thunder and seen on NBC4. Over a broadcasting career that spanned 42 years, Taylor became one of central Ohio’s most recognizable voices on the morning commute.
Though Taylor became a familiar face and voice to generations of central Ohioans, his daughter said she will remember him simply as her father.
“My father lived a full and purposeful life. So many loved and respected him, but to me, he was simply Dad,” said Taylor’s daughter, Leslie Bass. “I am proud to be his daughter.”
A career dedicated to public service
Taylor’s public service extended far beyond traffic reports.
Taylor graduated from the Columbus Police Academy in 1972 as class president and served as a Columbus police sergeant until retiring in 1995. During his career, he worked as a community liaison, public relations spokesperson and hostage negotiator.
He later worked for the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and founded the private security consulting group Bill Taylor and Associates.
Taylor also played a prominent role in crime prevention efforts across central Ohio. He was a founding member of the Ohio Crime Prevention Association and served multiple terms as founding and acting president of Central Ohio Crime Stoppers.
A sailor, pilot and historian
Born in Akron in 1945, Taylor graduated from Wooster High School before attending Ohio State University and Ohio Dominican College. He also served four years in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS America during the Vietnam War era.
Outside of law enforcement and broadcasting, Taylor was an aviation enthusiast, licensed pilot, sailor and amateur historian who authored articles on military history and the Civil War.
Taylor is survived by his wife of 25 years, Catherine Taylor, along with his children, grandchildren and extended family.
The family said a memorial service will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Central Ohio Crime Stoppers in Taylor’s honor.
Trending reporter Amani Bayo can be reached at abayo@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Sgt. Bill Taylor, trusted traffic reporter and police veteran, dies at 80
Reporting by Amani Bayo, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Amani Bayo, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
