Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Michael Waters was killed in an automobile crash during a vehicle pursuit following an armed robbery of a grocery store at 9:00 p.m.
Officers spotted the suspected vehicle on I-55 and began chasing it. During the pursuit, Officer Waters' patrol car struck a concrete barrier in a construction zone and flipped over. Officer Waters was ejected from the patrol car and then struck by a second patrol car. Officer Waters was transported to Regional Medical Center in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was pronounced dead. Another officer riding with Officer Waters was injured in the accident.
The three suspects that the officers were pursuing were arrested in Memphis early the next morning and held in connection with the original robbery and the death of Officer Waters. The driver was convicted of manslaughter and fleeing, was sentenced to 60 years in prison, and has been paroled. The two other subjects pleaded guilty to theft.
Officer Waters had served with the West Memphis Police Department for 2 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AR-886B9F64- 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.
Police Officer Waters gave the West Memphis Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the West Memphis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Waters.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Michael Christopher Waters 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 AR, 92 of 372 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 24.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.3 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At West Memphis Police Dept., 1 of 3 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. Michael Christopher Waters's cause is highlighted.
How Michael Christopher Waters Compares
Offender Outcome
Paroled
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Michael Christopher Waters is highlighted in Sep.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from West Memphis Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw.
