Arthur D. Matthews
Agency patch
Constable

Arthur D. Matthews

Boonville Police Department — Boonville, NC
Accident
End of Watch October 22, 1938
Age 41
The Vigil Panel 75 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Constable Arthur Matthews was killed when his vehicle was rammed by another vehicle during a pursuit.

He had been pursuing a suspected rum runner for approximately 10 miles before the vehicle rammed his car, pushing it into a tree, east of East Bend. Constable Matthews succumbed to his injuries approximately 20 minutes later.

The man driving the other car fled on foot, but two girls who were with him remained on scene and were taken into custody.

Constable Matthews was survived by his wife.

He had been pursuing a suspected rum runner for approximately 10 miles before the vehicle rammed his car, pushing it into a tree, east of East Bend. Constable Matthews succumbed to his injuries approximately 20 minutes later.

Survivors

Constable Matthews was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-513B756B
Stewardship
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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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Constable Matthews served with the Boonville Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Boonville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Constable Matthews.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Boonville, Yadkin County, NC
Platform Identity bpd.yadkin.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 22, 1938
Age 41
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Cause Detail Vehicle pursuit
Weapon Automobile

Constable Arthur D. Matthews is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In NC, 205 of 664 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.9% of this state's fallen. That is 30.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Boonville Police Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Accident
NC — Statewide
205
of 664 officers
30.9% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Arthur D. Matthews's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Arthur D. Matthews Compares

Age at Death
41
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Arthur D. Matthews is highlighted in Oct.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
708
May
848
Jun
797
Jul
899
Aug
938
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Boonville Police Department are honored on badge.nw.