Roll of Honor
Incident
Trooper Brian Nichols was killed in an automobile accident on Highway 56 near Chatom, Alabama, at 10:45 pm.
He was driving towards his home as his shift was to end in 15 minutes, when his patrol car struck a horse that was standing in the roadway. The impact crushed the roof and A-frame of the patrol car.
Trooper Nichols was a veteran of the United States Coast Guard and had served with the Alabama Department of Public Safety for nine years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and two young children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-13081599- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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 Nichols gave the Alabama Department of Public Safety 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Alabama. 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
Brian Keith Nichols served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Trooper Brian Keith Nichols is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In AL, 182 of 643 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 28.3% of this state's fallen. That is 2.7 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Alabama Department of Public Safety, 21 of 29 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 72.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Brian Keith Nichols's cause is highlighted.
How Brian Keith Nichols Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Brian Keith Nichols is highlighted in Feb.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
28 officers from Alabama Department of Public Safety are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
