Karl E. Bushong
Agency patch
Patrolman

Karl E. Bushong

Ohio State Highway Patrol — Columbus, OH
Accident Veteran
End of Watch June 7, 1937
Age 40
Tour of Duty 3 yrs 6 mo
Badge 83
The Vigil Panel 73 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Karl Bushong was killed in an automobile crash on US Route 20 two miles east of Geneva while administering a driver's license test. The applicant crashed head-on into an oncoming vehicle while Patrolman Bushong was in the passenger seat. He was the only one injured. Patrolman Bushong was a United States Marine Corps veteran of WWI and had served with the Ohio State Highway Patrol for 3.5 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-0ED3F277
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.
Patrolman Bushong gave the Ohio State Highway Patrol 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Ohio, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Location Columbus, OH
Platform Identity oshp.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 7, 1937
Tour of Duty 3 yrs 6 mo
Age 40
Badge Number 83
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Karl E. Bushong served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Patrolman Karl E. Bushong 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 OH, 318 of 991 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

At Ohio State Highway Patrol, 33 of 42 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 78.6% of this agency's fallen.

Ohio State Highway Patrol
33
of 42 officers
78.6% Accident
OH — Statewide
318
of 991 officers
32.1% Accident
Nationwide
10,088
of 32,508 officers
31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Karl E. Bushong's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Karl E. Bushong Compares

Age at End of Watch
40
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
3.5
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Karl E. Bushong is highlighted in Jun.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
707
May
847
Jun
795
Jul
897
Aug
937
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location