Floyd Wayne Etheridge
Agency patch
Sergeant

Floyd Wayne Etheridge

Accident
End of Watch October 28, 1969
Age 35
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Floyd Etheridge was killed while completing vehicle maintenance on his patrol car at his home in Palestine, Texas.

He was working beneath the car when it slipped off the jack and crushed him.

During this time period, Texas troopers were expected to conduct routine vehicle maintenance on their vehicles.

Sergeant Etheridge had served with the Texas Highway Patrol for 12 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, son, and brother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
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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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sergeant Etheridge gave the Texas Department of Public Safety 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Texas. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Etheridge.

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

Agency

Type Highway Patrol
Location Austin, Travis County, TX
Platform Identity tdpsthp.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 28, 1969
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Age 35
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Floyd is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% 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
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1969, 62 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 70th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Floyd was 35. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Floyd had served 12 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

October holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 14.1%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol has 96 officers remembered here, Floyd among them.

Across the years

Sergeant Floyd Wayne Etheridge

Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol · End of Watch October 28, 1969

Where the Name Is Cut

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