Roll of Honor
Fred Carlton Burns
Incident
Patrolman Fred Burns succumbed to injuries he received in a vehicle crash on February 6, 1966, shortly before 9:00 p.m. While writing a traffic ticket on Interstate 45, six miles south of Conroe, his patrol car was struck by a passing truck. He was initially pinned between the stopped vehicle and his patrol car until the truck struck the other car, causing the cars and truck to burst into flames. Patrolman Burns was transported to Montgomery County Hospital, where he never regained consciousness and passed away on January 2, 1968. The truck driver was charged with two counts of aggravated assault. Patrolman Burns was a United States Navy WWII veteran and had served with the Texas Department of Public Safety for 27 years, stationed at Conroe.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, daughter, and sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-60D65F1E- 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.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Fred. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
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.
Patrolman Burns gave the Texas Department of Public Safety 27 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Texas, and 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
Fred Carlton Burns served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman Fred Carlton Burns 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 Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol, 56 of 95 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 58.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Fred Carlton Burns's cause is highlighted.
How Fred Carlton Burns Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Fred Carlton Burns is highlighted in Jan.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
94 officers from Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
