Ultimate Sacrifice

Wall of Honor Remembering the Heros

Since the start of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, twenty-eight officers have made the ultimate sacrifice and given their lives in the line of duty.

Below, you can see a brief summary concerning the death of each of those twenty-eight officers, plus the only Missouri State Trooper to be killed serving his country during World War II. We list these officers and their stories so that we will never forget the sacrifices they made for the Patrol, the people of Missouri, and all who travel our highways.

The photo depicts the Wall of Honor, the Ultimate Sacrifice which presides over the Executive Board Room of the Missouri State Troopers Association, illuminated in blue.

Corporal Dennis E. Engelhard

Badge #355

Corporal Dennis E. Engelhard, 49, was struck by a vehicle at 10:30 a.m., on December 25, 2009. Cpl. Engelhard was completing a traffic crash investigation on westbound Interstate 44 east of Eureka, MO, when a driver lost control of his vehicle on the ice covered roadway and struck him. At the time of the crash, Cpl. Engelhard was standing behind his patrol vehicle waiting for a tow truck to arrive at a previous non-injury traffic crash he was working.

Trooper Donald K. "Kevin" Floyd

Badge #394

Trooper Donald K. "Kevin" Floyd was killed in the line of duty today, September 22, 2005. Trooper Floyd, badge #394, was struck by a vehicle on U. S. Highway 60 in Texas County, approximately one mile east of Rt. MM, at 12:21 p.m. He was airlifted by Hammons Lifeline to St. Johns Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, where he succumbed to his injuries at 1:33 p.m.

Corporal John A. "Jay" Sampietro Jr.

Badge #584

Corporal John A. "Jay" Sampietro Jr, was killed in the line of duty today, August 17, 2005. Corporal Sampietro was struck by a vehicle on Interstate 44 in Webster County, near Strafford, MO. He was taken to Cox South Hospital in Springfield, MO, where he succumbed to his injuries. At the time he was struck, Corporal Sampietro was directing traffic while assisting the Patrol’s Major Crash Investigation Team at the site of an earlier fatal traffic crash.

Trooper Ralph C. Tatoian

Badge #1140

Trooper Ralph C. Tatoian, 32, was killed in a traffic crash on I-44 in Franklin County, at 4:45 a.m. on Wednesday, April 20, 2005. Trooper Tatoian, a member of the Patrol's Special Emergency Response Team, and other members of SERT, were responding to the Franklin County area to assist with the manhunt for an armed burglary suspect who had shot a deputy in Gasconade County earlier.

Sergeant Carl D. "Dewayne" Graham Jr.

Badge #223

Sergeant C. Dewayne Graham Jr, was killed at his residence on Sunday, March 20, 2005, at approximately 5:00 p.m. Sergeant Graham was still in his uniform, lying on the ground near his patrol car when he was found by a passing motorist. An autopsy would reveal he had been ambushed, shot by a rifle and a shotgun. Sergeant Graham's residence was just outside Van Buren, MO, in rural Carter County, within Troop G.

Trooper Michael L. Newton

Badge #799

Trooper Michael L. Newton, 25, was killed in a traffic crash at 6:59 a.m. on May 22, 2003. Trooper Newton had stopped a vehicle on eastbound Interstate 70 near the 47-mile marker in Lafayette County. While Trooper Newton and the person he had stopped were sitting in his patrol car, they were struck by a pickup pulling a flat bed trailer. The force of the impact pushed the patrol car into the other vehicle. The person in the vehicle with Trooper Newton, who suffered serious injuries, was pulled from the patrol car by witnesses at the scene. Trooper Newton died at the scene.

Trooper Kelly L. Poynter

Badge #1191

Trooper Kelly L. Poynter, age 27, was killed on January 18, 2002, while working a traffic crash on US-63 in Texas County two miles south of Houston, MO. While Trooper Poynter was investigating the initial crash, another vehicle struck and killed him and injured a wrecker driver.

Sergeant Robert A. Guilliams

Badge #235

Sergeant Robert A. Guilliams, 41, was killed in a traffic crash on February 16, 2001. Sergeant Guilliams was responding to a previous traffic crash when he lost control of his patrol car on Southbound Interstate 55 in Pemiscot County approximately sixteen miles north of the Arkansas line.

Sergeant Robert G. Kimberling

Badge #511

Sergeant Robert G. Kimberling, 43, was shot and killed on October 6, 1999, on I-29, in St. Joseph, Missouri, in Buchanan County. The incident occurred after Sergeant Kimberling stopped a motorist who had left the Farris Truck Stop in Faucett, MO, without paying for $24.69 of fuel.

Sergeant David C. May

Badge #873

Sergeant David C. May, 41, was killed in a helicopter crash on May 17, 1999, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, in Butler County. Sergeant May was piloting the Patrol's helicopter 77MP and died upon impact behind the Union Planter's Bank after diverting the stricken helicopter away from homes, businesses, and pedestrians in the area. This last heroic act of Sergeant May averted an even larger catastrophe.

Sergeant Randy V. Sullivan

Badge #821

Sergeant Randy V. Sullivan, 40, was killed in a traffic crash on February 17, 1996, on MO-72 in Madison County, eight miles west of Fredericktown, Missouri. The crash occurred when Sergeant Sullivan checked a speeding vehicle by radar, turned around to overtake the violator, and, as he came over a hill, apparently ran off the roadway in a curve and struck several trees.

Corporal Michael E. Webster

Badge #473

Corporal Michael E. Webster, 33, died October 2, 1993, from injuries he suffered when he was struck by a drunk driver on US-40 in Blue Springs, Missouri, in Jackson County. Corporal Webster was a nine-year veteran of the Patrol. He was survived by his wife, a six-year old daughter, and a 20-month old son.

Trooper Robert J. Kolilis

Badge #353

Trooper Robert J. Kolilis, 24, died on September 21, 1988, as a result of injuries sustained when he was struck by a pick-up truck on Highway "M" in Washington County near Irondale, Missouri. He was the 16th member of the Patrol to be killed in the line of duty.

Corporal Henry C. Bruns

Badge #169

Corporal Henry C. Bruns, 41, was killed in a traffic crash on February 16, 1987, just eight days after the death of Trooper Harper. Corporal Bruns was killed when the vehicle in which he was a passenger skidded on ice-covered MO-6 in Buchanan County and hit a bridge abutment.

Trooper Russell W. Harper

Badge #670

Trooper Russell W. Harper, 45, was shot and killed February 8, 1987, after he pulled over a pick-up truck being driven by Glen Sweet east of US-65 and US-60 near farm route 189 in Greene County for a traffic violation. Before Trooper Harper could stop his patrol car off the traveled portion of the roadway, Sweet emerged from the truck and fired several rounds at Trooper Harper through the patrol car's windshield.

Trooper Jimmie E. Linegar

Badge #865

Just six weeks after the death of Trooper Froemsdorf, the Patrol was again struck with tragedy when Trooper Jimmie E. Linegar, 31, was shot to death on April 15, 1985, at the intersection of US-65 and MO-86 south of Branson, Missouri, in Taney County.

Trooper James M. Froemsdorf

Badge #261

Trooper James M. Froemsdorf, 35, was shot and killed with his own gun on March 2, 1985, on I-55, near Brewer, Missouri, in Perry County. Trooper Froemsdorf had stopped Jerome Mallett for speeding and a radio check revealed Mallett to be wanted for armed robbery in Texas. Trooper Froemsdorf had handcuffed Mallett and was preparing to take him to the Perry County jail when Mallett was able to free one of his hands and attack the trooper.

Trooper Dennis H. Marriott

Badge #804

Trooper Dennis H. Marriott, 36, died June 13, 1981, from injuries suffered on June 1 when he was struck by a vehicle after exiting from his patrol car for a traffic stop. The accident occurred on US-54 south in Jefferson City, Missouri, in Cole County.

Trooper William R. Brandt

Badge #195

Trooper William R. Brandt, 23, lost his life on June 12, 1970, when a tornado blew his patrol car into a concrete bridge abutment on US-36, near Macon, Missouri. Trooper Brandt was tracking the storm when the incident occurred. The same storm which took Trooper Brandt's life, caused extensive damage to Troop B headquarters, ripping the roof completely off and blowing down the 325 foot radio tower; luckily nobody was injured at the headquarters.

Trooper Gary W. Snodgrass

Badge #732

Trooper Gary W. Snodgrass, 24, was killed in an auto accident on February 21, 1970, on MO-32, seven miles east of Salem, Missouri, in Dent County. There were no known witnesses to the one-car crash, but the trooper apparently lost control of his patrol car on a curve.

Trooper Jesse R. "Roger" Jenkins

Badge #474

Trooper Jesse R. Jenkins, 29, was killed in the line of duty on October 14, 1969, by Robert M. Thomas. Trooper Jenkins and Montgomery County Sheriff Clarence Landrum had apprehended Thomas and another subject as they attempted to burglarize a radio and television shop in Montgomery City, Missouri, on the night of October 13.

Trooper Wayne W. Allman

Badge #97

Trooper Wayne W. Allman, 34, was fatally injured in a vehicle accident on MO-35 in Cass County on October 27, 1955. Trooper Allman was responding to another accident when an oncoming car turned left in front of him. He swerved his patrol car left to avoid hitting the other car and his patrol car sideswiped a second oncoming vehicle.

Trooper John N. Greim

Badge #148

Trooper John N. Greim, 32, became the sixth officer killed in the line of duty when he was killed in a plane crash on July 13, 1945. Trooper Greim was searching for some fugitives who had abandoned a car earlier in the day. Trooper Greim and the pilot were both killed when the plane they were using crashed near Corning, Arkansas.

Trooper Ross S. Creach

Badge #58

Trooper Ross S. Creach, 24, was struck by a car driven by a drunk driver and killed on December 12, 1943. The incident occurred on US-36 in Shelby County while Trooper Creach was directing traffic at the scene of an accident.

Trooper J. D. Ellis

Badge #45

Trooper J.D. Ellis was the only member of the Patrol to lose his life while serving in the military during World War II. Trooper Ellis was appointed to the Patrol in 1935, and assigned to General Headquarters in Jefferson City.

Trooper Charles P. Corbin

Badge #99

Trooper Charles P. Corbin, 27, was killed on September 15, 1943, on US-71 in Jasper County. Trooper Corbin's patrol car was struck by a tractor-trailer truck which was on the wrong side of the road.

Trooper Victor O. Dosing

Badge #22

Just four days after Trooper Walker was shot, Trooper Victor Dosing, 34, became the third officer to be killed in the line of duty. December 7, 1941, was a catastrophic day in the United States and Highway Patrol history -- Pearl Harbor was bombed and Trooper Dosing was killed and Trooper Sam Graham was critically wounded in a shoot out in Southwest Missouri.

Trooper Fred L. Walker

Badge #126

Trooper Fred L. Walker, age 33, was shot on December 3, 1941, near Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. Trooper Walker had taken two young men into custody for investigation of car theft. He had handcuffed them after overtaking the stolen car in a farm yard.

Sergeant Benjamin O. Booth

Badge #13

Sergeant Ben Booth, an original member of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, was fatally shot on June 14, 1933, at a road block in Columbia, Missouri, after having stopped two persons suspected of a Mexico, Missouri, bank robbery.

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