Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Preacher McKenzie was killed in a vehicle accident while responding to a fire call. He was en route to work when the call came over the radio. His vehicle collided with a vehicle driven by Patrolman Bryant Birt. As a result of the accident, Patrolman Birt became paralyzed. He died of his injuries on July 29, 1944. Patrolman McKenzie was single and had served with the agency for three years. He is buried Oakwood Cemetery, Gastonia, North Carolina.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-4572D50B- 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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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman McKenzie gave the Gastonia Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Gastonia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman McKenzie.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman S. C. McKenzie is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 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 Gastonia Police Department, 2 of 6 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. S. C. McKenzie's cause is highlighted.
How S. C. McKenzie Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. S. C. McKenzie is highlighted in Aug.
Others Who Wore This Badge
5 officers from Gastonia Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
