Roll of Honor
Incident
Senior Trooper Maria Mignano and Police Officer Jason Hoerauf, of the Albany Police Department, were struck and killed by the driver of a vehicle at approximately 7:00 pm while assisting the family of a disabled van on I-5 near mile marker 243.
Officer Hoerauf was on a ride-along with his mentor, Sergeant John Burright, when the two stopped to assist the van. Trooper Mignano responded to the scene to back them up. While the three officers were standing on the right side of the van, which was parked on the right shoulder, a pickup truck suddenly swerved across a lane of traffic. The pickup struck the right rear of Trooper Mignano's patrol car, traveled along the other two vehicles, and struck all three officers. The driver of the vehicle was driving on a suspended license at the time and had fallen asleep while driving.
Trooper Mignano and Officer Hoerauf succumbed to their injuries at the scene. Sergeant Burright was flown to a local hospital in extremely critical condition. He suffered critical injuries that caused him to medically retire in early 2002. He remained under continuous medical care until succumbing to complications of his injuries on May 4th, 2021.
In December 2001, the man plead guilty to criminally negligent homicide and was sentenced to two days in jail and three years of probation as part of a plea bargain.
Trooper Mignano had served with the Oregon State Police for eight years.
I well remember learning of the horrific accident on I-5, south of Salem, the way it rocked local communities, the pall that fell over Salem, Albany, the State of Oregon. I learned your name, Officer Mignano..., and paused. Somehow I remembered the name of an OSP officer with whom I spoken by phone on a summer, Sunday evening. I had been on the way to church in Salem, I was to lead singing and a few minutes delay would make me late. As I entered the southbound traffic on I-5 at the Hwy 22 interchange I witnessed someone struggling to keep from being thrown out of a Chevy van. I called 911, was immediately connected with OSP dispatch, and reported following the vehicle as far as the southbound Kubler exit. Moments later, a female officer called me back, thanked me for the report and informed me the vehicle had been stopped and the occupants, participants in a domestic dispute, were all safe. The officer's name was Maria Mignano.
In the days following her death, my son and middle daughter informed me they also recognized her name. On the evening of one of their high school graduations -- can't remember which one -- they were wound up with the festivities, drank coffee at Dennys with friends 'til the wee hours, then stopped to feed the ducks on State St, near the Oregon Womens Prison..., and were "rousted" by a female OSP officer, Maria Mignano. Rather quickly satisfied they weren't staging a prison break, and they having told her they had been to a Christian High School graduation earlier that evening, Officer Mignano mischievously asked them to quote her some Scripture! Touche'!
Within a relatively short time from the events related above, my wife was victimized by a minor traffic skirmish in a Salem parking lot. After she exchanged relevant information with the other driver, a female OSP officer approached from a neighboring restaurant, offered her card and told my wife she had witnessed the minor accident and would be available if there was any corroborative witness required. Upon learning the identity of the female OSP officer killed on I-5, Sept, 2001, my wife dug out her card. Maria Mignano.
Coincidence? I hardly think so. Four members of one household had been privileged to have had contact with an exemplary public servant, in the line of duty, doing what she had been trained to do, and doing it well. We had good reason to remember her the day she was killed. Doing what she did. Doing it well. Stopped to help along a busy hiway. As born again Christians, we are thrilled to know that, by her own unashamed testimony, she was "ready to go." As one of her close friends remarked in another remembrance, she was so excited at the prospect of "seeing Jesus." Wow.
No regrets, Officer Mignano. You finished well. We're honored.
Dan Wray Just an impressed, grateful citizen August 27th, 2021
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OR-520B9CC5- 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 Maria. 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Senior Trooper Mignano gave the Oregon State Police 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Oregon. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Senior Trooper Mignano.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Senior Trooper Maria Mignano 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 OR, 66 of 197 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.5% of this state's fallen. That is 2.5 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Oregon State Police, 15 of 31 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 48.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Maria Mignano's cause is highlighted.
How Maria Mignano Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Maria Mignano is highlighted in Sep.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
30 officers from Oregon State Police are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
