Robert Randall East

North Carolina Highway Patrol — Raleigh, NC

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch December 21, 1972

Age 56

Tour of Duty 25 yrs

The Vigil Panel 111 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 68

Incident

Patrolman East succumbed to injuries sustained a week earlier in an automobile accident during a pursuit in Raleigh at US-1 and US-401. He was pursuing a vehicle when he struck a bridge abutment, suffering major injuries. He was rushed to North Carolina Hospital where his left leg was amputated. Patrolman East was a U.S Army veteran of WWII and had served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol for 25 years.

Survivors

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

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NC-9048F877
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Robert is one person.

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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 East gave the North Carolina Highway Patrol 25 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of North Carolina, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department North Carolina Highway Patrol

Type Highway Patrol

Location Raleigh, NC

Platform Identity nchp.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 21, 1972

Tour of Duty 25 yrs

Age 56

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Robert Randall East served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Robert Randall East is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In NC, 205 of 664 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.9% of this state's fallen. That is 30.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At North Carolina Highway Patrol, 41 of 69 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 59.4% of this agency's fallen.

North Carolina Highway Patrol

of 69 officers

59.4% Accident

NC — Statewide

205

of 664 officers

30.9% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Accident