Roll of Honor
Incident
Trooper Walter Thurtell died in a motorcycle crash while responding to a call for assistance at 8:50 p.m. Trooper Thurtell was traveling south on U.S. 431 in heavy rain when a vehicle traveling north struck him. Trooper Thurtell was a United States Korean War Navy veteran and had served with the Kentucky State Police for 15 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-AFED3A8A- 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.
Trooper Thurtell gave the Kentucky State Police 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Kentucky, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Walter Orville Thurtell served in the Navy (1948â1952) before joining law enforcement.
Trooper Walter Orville Thurtell 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 KY, 161 of 983 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 16.4% of this state's fallen. That is 14.6 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At KY State Police, 16 of 29 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 55.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Walter Orville Thurtell's cause is highlighted.
How Walter Orville Thurtell Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Walter Orville Thurtell is highlighted in Sep.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
28 officers from KY State Police are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
