Gary Allen Gryder
Agency patch
Police Officer

Gary Allen Gryder

Houston Police Department — Houston, TX
Felonious
End of Watch June 29, 2008
Age 47
Tour of Duty 23 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Gary Gryder was struck and killed by a drunk driver while directing traffic at a construction site on the Katy Freeway. The drunk driver drove through a barricade and struck Officer Gryder and another officer without braking. The vehicle continued until striking a brick wall, where the driver was taken into custody.

The driver, charged with manslaughter, was found not guilty by reason of insanity, and committed to the Rusk State Mental Hospital. On May 2, 2016, a Harris County judge denied his release from the hospital where he will have to remain for at least one more year.

Officer Gryder had served with the Houston Police Department for 23 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, son, step-daughter, two grandchildren, parents, and two sisters.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

23 years. You could have gone home.
Police Officer Gryder gave the Houston Police Department 23 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Houston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Gryder.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Houston, Harris County, TX
Platform Identity hpd.harris.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 29, 2008
Tour of Duty 23 yrs
Age 47
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Vehicular assault
Weapon Automobile; Alcohol involved

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Gary is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 2008, 65 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 113th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Gary was 47. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Gary had served 23 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

June holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was automobile; alcohol involved, in 1% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Houston Police Department has 117 officers remembered here, Gary among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Gary Allen Gryder

Houston Police Department · End of Watch June 29, 2008

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 20-E

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