Brian N. Rovnak
Agency patch
Trooper

Brian N. Rovnak

New York State Police — Albany, NY
Veteran → Accident
End of Watch February 2, 1983
Age 39
Tour of Duty 16 yrs
The Vigil Panel 126 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Trooper Brian Rovnak was killed in a vehicle crash on I-84 five miles east of Taconic Parkway while he and his partner were en route to meet other troopers at 4:25 am. The troopers were traveling eastbound on I-84 when the vehicle went off the highway, crashing into the guard rails, which caused the patrol car to flip. Both Troopers were transported to Putnam Community Hospital, where Trooper Rovnak succumbed to his injuries. The other trooper suffered a concussion. Trooper Rovnak was a United States Army Vietnam War veteran who served with the New York State Police for 16 years and was assigned to Troop K. He was survived by his wife, two sons, mother, three brothers, and two sisters. The Taconic State Parkway bridge overpass in East Fishkill, Dutchess, NY, has been renamed the Trooper Brian N. Rovnak Memorial Bridge.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two sons, mother, three brothers, and two sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-4D7BE7AE
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 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.
Trooper Rovnak gave the New York State Police 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of New York, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type State Police
Location Albany, NY
Platform Identity nysp.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 2, 1983
Tour of Duty 16 yrs
Age 39
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Brian N. Rovnak served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Trooper Brian N. Rovnak is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 30 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At New York State Police, 94 of 171 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 55% of this agency's fallen.

New York State Police
94
of 171 officers
55% Accident
NY — Statewide
645
of 2,147 officers
30% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Brian N. Rovnak's cause is highlighted.

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

How Brian N. Rovnak Compares

Age at Death
39
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
16
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Brian N. Rovnak is highlighted in Feb.

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

Military Service

Brian N. Rovnak served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit Brian N. Rovnak’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.