On August 24, 1999, Police Officer Myles M. Smetana and his partner responded to a disturbance call involving a mental patient. After quelling the disturbance, Officer Smetana suddenly sustained a rush of illness, weakness and dizziness. He was transported to a hospital where he lapsed into a coma until his death on 16 September 1999. It was determined by his doctors that he did in fact suffer a heart attack at the time of the earlier incident.

Officer Smetana is survived by his wife and three children.