Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Mike Smith was killed in an automobile crash while responding to a fire at an oil tank battery just before 7:00 a.m.
He was traveling northbound on Route 349, north of Rankin when an oil-field truck crossed the center line and struck his patrol car head-on.
Deputy Smith had served with the Upton County Sheriff's Office for two years.
Deputy Smith had served with the Upton County Sheriff's Office for two years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, three sons, and a daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-8532FC5E- 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 Smith gave the Upton County Sheriff's Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Rankin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Smith.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Michael Ray Smith 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 Upton County Sheriff's Dept., 3 of 5 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Michael Ray Smith's cause is highlighted.
How Michael Ray Smith Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Michael Ray Smith is highlighted in Jun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
4 officers from Upton County Sheriff's Dept. are honored on badge.nw.
