Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Dirk Knearem was killed in an automobile crash on Highway 73, at the intersection of Highway 124, near the Chambers County-Jefferson County border.
Deputy Knearem was responding to another crash call at 8:00 p.m. He was making a left-hand turn when his patrol car collided with another vehicle. Deputy Knearem was transported to a hospital in Winnie, where he succumbed to his injuries at 8:45 p.m.
Deputy Knearem had served with the Chambers County Sheriff's Department for 2 years and had been in law enforcement for a total of 16 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his mother, four brothers, two sisters, and his fiancée.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-4D2B7F73- 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Knearem gave the Chambers County Sheriff's Office 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the Anahuac community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Knearem.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Dirk Ray Knearem 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 TX, 653 of 2,421 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 27% of this state's fallen. That is 4 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Chambers County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 3 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Dirk Ray Knearem's cause is highlighted.
How Dirk Ray Knearem Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Dirk Ray Knearem is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Chambers County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
