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Incident
Senior Trooper Craig Gaines passed away from complications related to a leg fracture he received while providing lead security detail for the head coach of the Florida A&M Football Team on September 9, 2025.
During the game against Florida Atlantic University at the FAU Stadium, located at 777 Glades Road in Boca Raton, a player unintentionally ran into Trooper Gaines at the end of a play, fracturing his leg. While recovering from his injury, he began to feel ill and called for assistance. On September 19, 2025, despite life-saving measures, Trooper Gaines succumbed to medical complications stemming from his leg injury.
Trooper Gaines was a United States Navy veteran and had served with the Florida Highway Patrol for 17 years. He previously served with the Havana Police Department and the Gadsden County Sheriff's Office.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, three children, parents, two brothers, and grandchildren.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
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- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Craig is one person.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Senior Trooper Gaines gave the Florida Highway Patrol 27 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Florida. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Craig Antony Gaines served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.
The Sacrifice · Illness
Florida Highway Patrol has lost 54 officers; 5 of them lost to illness.
Craig is one of 81 officers lost to illness in FL, 8% of the 1,007 remembered there.
Craig is one of 2,028 officers lost to illness in the United States, 7.4% of the 27,552 remembered there.
Craig is one of 2,979 officers lost to illness worldwide, 8.7% of the 34,103 remembered here.
34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 2025, 1 officer at Florida Highway Patrol was lost to illness, the 2nd heaviest of 3 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 3.
In 2025, 1 officer in FL was lost to illness, the 5th heaviest of 11 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 55.
In 2025, 19 officers in the United States were lost to illness, the 17th heaviest of 108 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 564.
In 2025, 23 officers worldwide were lost to illness, the 18th heaviest of 197 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 566.
Who
Craig was 58. Of the 5 lost to illness at Florida Highway Patrol whose age is recorded, half were between 41 and 58; the middle age was 50. Craig had served 27 years; the middle length of service was 12 years.
Craig was 58. Of the 79 lost to illness in FL whose age is recorded, half were between 40 and 53; the middle age was 48. Craig had served 27 years; the middle length of service was 16.5 years.
Craig was 58. Of the 1,996 lost to illness in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 42 and 58; the middle age was 51. Craig had served 27 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.
Craig was 58. Of the 2,916 lost to illness worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 39 and 56; the middle age was 49. Craig had served 27 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.
When
September holds 40% of these deaths at Florida Highway Patrol; August holds the most, 40%. Fridays: 20%.
September holds 18.5% of these deaths in FL; August holds the most, 33.3%. Fridays: 13.6%.
September holds 11.2% of these deaths in the United States; October holds the most, 14.9%. Fridays: 14.8%.
September holds 9.8% of these deaths worldwide; October holds the most, 12.6%. Fridays: 14.9%.
How
Illness deaths account for 9.3% of all 54 deaths at Florida Highway Patrol, the 3rd most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 8% of all 1,007 deaths in FL, the 3rd most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 7.4% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 3rd most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 8.7% of all 34,103 deaths worldwide, the 3rd most common cause.
His people
Florida Highway Patrol has 54 officers remembered here, Craig among them.
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Luther Paul Daniel
Dec 5, 1941
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Leroy C. Bender
Oct 25, 1947
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Halley C. Strickland
Jan 8, 1954
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Edwin J. Gasque
Oct 26, 1961
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Sherman Lee Scott, Jr.
Jan 3, 1965
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Owen Karl Bender
Sep 9, 1965
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Joseph Newton Sawtell, Jr.
Aug 5, 1966
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Joseph Paul Bertrand
Dec 22, 1967
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John C. Hagerty
Mar 18, 1970
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Herman T. Morris
Mar 16, 1972
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Charles W. Parks
Feb 6, 1973
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Claude H. Baker, Jr.
Nov 17, 1973
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Ronald Gordon Smith
Dec 23, 1973
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Wilburn A. Kelly
Mar 23, 1974
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Charles Eugene Campbell
Nov 16, 1974
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Kenneth E. Flynt
Jan 1, 1976
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Phillip Arthur Black
Feb 20, 1976
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Richard D. Howell
Aug 2, 1976
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Bradley Steven Glascock
Aug 4, 1977
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Elmer C. Barnett
Feb 14, 1978
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Alvin Vincent Kohler
Sep 19, 1978
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Robert Patrick McDermon, Sr.
Apr 11, 1981
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Merle J. Cook
Jul 13, 1981
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Robert Lee Pruitt
Jul 13, 1981
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Cleo Leon Tomlinson Jr.
Jul 13, 1981
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Frederick James Groves Jr.
Sep 18, 1984
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Lindell J. Gibbons
Mar 23, 1985
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John C. Baxter, Jr.
Oct 2, 1985
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Stephen G. Rouse
Mar 28, 1987
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Jeffrey Dale Young
Aug 18, 1987
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Milan Dexter Hendrix
Jun 1, 1989
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Benedict James Thomas
Jun 9, 1989
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James Herbert Fulford, Jr.
Feb 1, 1992
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Kimberly Ann Hurd
Jul 16, 1992
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Saxton Randall Jones
May 1, 1995
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Donald E. Jennings
Jun 30, 1995
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Robert G. Smith
Jul 26, 1997
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James Bradford-Jean Crooks
May 19, 1998
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George A. Brown, III
Apr 27, 2004
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Darryl Louis Haywood, Sr.
Oct 2, 2004
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Nicholas G. Sottile
Jan 12, 2007
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Patrick Ambroise
May 15, 2010
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William Herman Dyer, III
Dec 28, 2011
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Chelsea Renee Richard
May 3, 2014
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William Trampas Bishop
Jun 17, 2017
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Daniel Duane Hinton
Feb 19, 2019
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Tracy Leslie Vickers
Sep 27, 2019
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Joseph Jon Bullock
Feb 5, 2020
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Lazaro Roberto Febles
Aug 14, 2021
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Sean Christopher Hryc
Aug 28, 2021
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Brian John Pingry
Sep 18, 2021
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Zachary Fink
Feb 2, 2024
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Craig Antony Gaines
Sep 19, 2025
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Michael Diego
Feb 18, 2026
Where
Military Service
Craig Antony Gaines served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.
Visit Craig Antony Gaines’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Where the Name Is Cut
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Also Remembered
Others Who Wore This Badge
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