Debra Goodale Tison
Agency patch
Special Agent

Debra Goodale Tison

Felonious
End of Watch September 20, 1991
Age 38
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
The Vigil Panel 137 ›
Gender Female

Incident

Special Agent Debra Tison was struck and killed by a drunk driver at the intersection of Forest Hill Boulevard and Woods Bend Road at about 11:30 pm. She was with two other agents when they were rear-ended by another vehicle on Forrest Hill Boulevard in West Palm Beach. The 19-year-old driver had been cited earlier that night by the agents for underage drinking. As Agent Tison was outside the vehicle talking with the driver from the initial crash, an off-duty West Palm Beach police officer in a third vehicle hit both of them. Agent Tison was transported to a local hospital where she died. The off-duty officer had a BAC of 0.15. He was convicted of charges related to the incident and was sentenced to one year in jail, two years probation, and five years house arrest. Special Agent Tison had served with the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco for seven years. She had previously served with the Jupiter Police Department and the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Police Department. She was survived by her husband, son, two daughters, mother, and two brothers. Her husband served with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Survivors

She was survived by her husband, son, two daughters, mother, and two brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-44CA4FDF
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.
Special Agent Tison gave the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Tallahassee community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Agent Tison.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Tallahassee, FL
Platform Identity fdabt.leon.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 20, 1991
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 38
Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Automobile

Special Agent Debra Goodale Tison is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 53.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, 1 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.

Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco
1
of 4 officers
25% Felonious
FL — Statewide
539
of 1,008 officers
53.5% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Debra Goodale Tison's cause is highlighted.

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

How Debra Goodale Tison Compares

Age at Death
38
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
7
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Debra Goodale Tison is highlighted in Sep.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Debra Goodale Tison was killed by automobile.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location