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Member Washington
State Nonprofits
Washington State Patrol
Memorial Foundation
P.O. Box 901, Prosser WA 99350 /wspmemorialfoundation@gmail.com / 360.597.4411
Our Fallen. Gone but not forgotten.
Trooper Christopher Gadd died in the line of duty on March 2, 2024, after being struck by a motorist on I-5 in Marysville. At the time of his death, Trooper Gadd had served two-and-a-half years with the Washington State Patrol.
Detective Eric Gunderson died in the line of duty on September 26, 2021, after a courageous battle with the Covid 19 Virus contracted while in service to the state of Washington. At the time of his death, Detective Gunderson had served almost 16 years with the Washington State Patrol.
Trooper Justin Schaffer died in the line of duty on March 24, 2020, when he was struck by a vehicle in Chehalis. At the time of his death, Trooper Schaffer had served over 7 years with the Washington State Patrol.
Trooper S. Renee Padgett passed away on September 4, 2018, in Renton, Washington following a long and courageous battle with cancer. She served the Washington State Patrol and the citizens of Washington State for 27 years
Detective Brent Hanger died in the line of duty on August 6, 2015, when he suffered a heart attack while on assignment in Yakima County. At the time of his death, Detective Hanger had served over 16 years with the Washington State Patrol.
Trooper Sean O'Connell Jr. died on May 31, 2013, at the age of 38 when his motorcycle was struck by a box truck in Conway, Washington. At the time of his death, Trooper O'Connell had served over 15 years with the Washington State Patrol.
Trooper Tony Radulescu died on February 23, 2012, at the age of 44 from gunshot wounds while conducting a traffic stop in Kitsap County. At the time of his death, Trooper Radulescu had served over 16 years with the Washington State Patrol.
Trooper James Saunders died on October 7, 1999, at the age of 31 from gunshot wounds while conducting a traffic stop in Pasco. At the time of his death, Trooper Saunders had served 8-1/2 years with the Washington State Patrol as a trooper.
Trooper Steven Frink died on March 22, 1993, at the age of 39. Trooper Frink was thrown from his motorcycle on an Interstate 90 off-ramp on Mercer Island when an automobile he was pursuing spun out of control. Trooper Frink died from his injuries four days after the collision. Trooper Frink had served 8 years with the Washington State Patrol.
Trooper Raymond Hawn died on January 17, 1990, at the age of 47 when he was struck by a vehicle while rendering assistance to a motorcyclist who had run out of gas alongside Highway 12 near Grandview. At the time of his death, Trooper Hawn served 21 years with the Washington State Patrol.
Trooper Clifford Hansell was killed July 22, 1987, at the age of 25. His patrol car collided broadside with the front of a semi-truck on North Central Avenue in downtown Kent as he swerved while responding to a collision scene. At the time of his death, Trooper Hansell had served 17 months with the Washington State Patrol.
Trooper James Gain died on March 2, 1987, at the age of 42. He was struck by a semi-truck along Interstate 5 seven miles north of Vancouver while conducting a traffic stop. At the time of his death, Trooper Gain had served 19 years with the Washington State Patrol.
Trooper Glenda Thomas died on May 24, 1985, at the age of 29. She was killed while investigating a multi-vehicle collision on the north Seattle freeway. Trooper Thomas was standing between two vehicles at the collision scene when another car rear-ended one of the vehicles involved in the earlier collision, pinning her between two automobiles. At the time of her death, Trooper Thomas had served only 6 months with the Washington State Patrol as a trooper.
Trooper Thomas Hendrickson died on November 17, 1974, at the age of 31. Trooper Hendrickson was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver while making a traffic stop on State Route 20 in Mount Vernon. At the time of his death, Trooper Hendrickson had served almost four years with the Washington State Patrol.
Weight Control Officer Joseph Modlin died on August 15, 1974, at the age of 60. He was killed when he was struck by a logging truck trailer while walking toward a second truck at the Home Valley weigh station on Highway 14 seven miles east of Stevenson. At the time of his death, Officer Modlin had served six years with the Washington State Patrol.
Trooper Charles Frank Noble died on February 5, 1972, at the age of 42. He was shot during a traffic stop near Toppenish by a furloughed convict who earlier had robbed a convenience store. At the time of his death, Trooper Noble had served 14 years with the Washington State Patrol.
Trooper Clarence Johnson died on September 8, 1968, at the age of 26. He was killed when he was hit head-on by a pickup that crossed the center line on a curve between Fall City and Carnation. At the time of his death, Trooper Johnson had served 18 months with the Washington State Patrol.
Patrolman Wesley Whittenberg died on December 29, 1960, at the age of 37. He was struck by a car while investigating an accident on the Stillaguamish River Bridge on U.S. 99 north of Marysville. At the time of his death, Patrolman Whittenberg had served 10 years with the Washington State Patrol as a trooper.
Patrolman Ernest Eichhorn died on September 16, 1958, at the age of 33. He was killed by a drunk driver while directing traffic in front of the Puyallup Fairgrounds during the Western Washington Fair. At the time of his death, Patrolman Eichhorn had served twelve years with the Washington State Patrol.
Patrolman Gene Bolstad died on September 3, 1957, at the age of 29 attempting to rescue a teenage boy in the surf at Long Beach. Both were caught in an undertow. At the time of his death, Patrolman Bolstad had served 2-1/2 years with the Washington State Patrol.
Patrolman John Wright died on June 28, 1953, at the age of 28. Wright was commissioned September 10, 1951, in the 16th cadet class and assigned to the Spokane Valley detachment. He died of injuries sustained after being struck by a hit-and-run driver on East Sprague Avenue at Barker Road in Greenacres, east of Spokane.
Patrolman Don Campbell Jr. died on December 21, 1951, at the age of 28. Trooper Campbell was struck by a truck while directing traffic around a stalled truck on Pacific Highway near Vancouver. At the time of his death, Patrolman Campbell served 6 years with the Washington State Patrol.
Patrolman Ivan Belka died on August 18, 1951, at the age of 38. A vehicle failed to yield to Trooper Belka's paddy wagon. He died from injuries as a result of this collision which occurred in Spokane. At the time of his death, Patrolman Belka served 8-1/2 years with the Washington State Patrol.
Patrolman Paul Johnson died on December 12, 1949, at the age of 32. Patrolman Johnson died of a gunshot wound to the head after responding to a neighborhood disturbance near Snoqualmie. At the time of his death, Patrolman Johnson served 3 years with the Washington State Patrol.
Patrolman Thomas Hanlin died on May 26, 1945, at the age of 38. He died from injuries sustained 18 months after flipping his paddy wagon on the Mount Baker Highway near Deming. His injuries at first were considered minor bruises. Later diagnosis revealed head injury.
Patrolman John Gulden died on December 23, 1942, at the age of 43. Patrolman Gulden was shot south of Goldendale on the Maryhill Loops Road, just below the Sam Hill Memorial Fountain, as he approached a vehicle he stopped for driving without headlights. (He was unaware the vehicle had two teenage suspects inside wanted for robbery and car theft.) At the time of his death, Patrolman Gulden served thirteen years with the Washington State Patrol.
Patrolman Allen Ludden died on March 15, 1938, at the age of 37. He was fatally injured when he lost control of his motorcycle south of the Seattle city limits at a weigh station on the Seattle-Tacoma highway. At the time of his death, Patrolman Ludden had served 18 months with the Washington State Patrol.
Captain Loren Ray died on December 16, 1934, at the age of 34. Captain Ray died from injuries sustained in a fall at the County/City building in Seattle. At the time of his death, Captain Ray served 6 years with the Washington State Patrol.
Patrolman William Pautzke died on May 8, 1930, at the age of 28. He died from injuries when he ran his motorcycle into the side of a gravel truck in the Burien area of Seattle en route to an investigation. At the time of his death, Patrolman Pautzke served four years with the Washington State Patrol.
Patrolman H. Douglas Cossmann died on October 9, 1929, at the age of 28. He died from injuries he received in a collision with an automobile and his motorcycle at 46th & Park Avenue in Tacoma. At the time of his death, Patrolman Cossmann had served only 2 months with the Washington State Patrol.
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Patrolman Conard Tolson died on March 24, 1929, at the age of 39. He died from injuries sustained the previous day in a collision between his motorcycle and an oncoming automobile on the Seattle-Tacoma highway near the Pierce-King County line. Patrolman Tolson was southbound on the Seattle-Tacoma highway when an oncoming car veered into his lane. Patrolman Tolson's motorcycle and sidecar collided with the oncoming vehicle.
Patrolman Irving Thorsvig died on October 26, 1926, at the age of 26. He was on his motorcycle August 29, going westbound on the old Bothell-Seattle highway when he slipped on the brick surface. A handle bar struck him in the chest. At first, it was believed to be a minor chest injury and later a bruised lung, but it developed into a serious lung problem. His mother took him to Los Angeles, but he died before reaching a sanitarium. Patrolman Thorsvig had served 9 months with the Washington State Patrol.
Patrolman Vernon Fortin died on September 30, 1923, at the age of 25. Patrolman Fortin was injured when his motorcycle collided with another patrolman's motorcycle while they were en route to the Lynden fair for traffic duty. Patrolman Fortin died five days later from his injuries. At the time of his death, Patrolman Fortin served 18 months with the Washington State Patrol.
