Roll of Honor
Incident
Trooper Ellen Engelhardt succumbed to injuries sustained eight years earlier when her patrol car was struck by a drunk driver on Route 25 in Wareham.
Trooper Engelhardt was parked on the shoulder of the road when the drunk driver struck the rear or her vehicle at nearly 90 mph. Her injuries left her in a vegetative state and she was unable to speak or communicate.
The driver was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for drunk driving after the initial accident. In September 2011 he was charged with vehicular homicide as a result of Trooper Engelhardt's death. In January 2014 he was convicted of vehicular homicide and sentenced to three years probation.
Trooper Engelhardt had served with the Massachusetts State Police for 23 years.
Survivors
She is survived by her daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MA-FD8535F1- 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
23 years. You could have gone home.
Trooper Engelhardt gave the Massachusetts State Police 23 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the people of Massachusetts. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Engelhardt.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Trooper Ellen E. Engelhardt is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 11.8 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At Massachusetts State Police, 7 of 38 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 18.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ellen E. Engelhardt's cause is highlighted.
How Ellen E. Engelhardt Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to 3 years probation
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ellen E. Engelhardt is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Ellen E. Engelhardt was killed by automobile; alcohol involved.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
37 officers from Massachusetts State Police are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
