Daryl Michael Raetz
Police Officer

Daryl Michael Raetz

Phoenix Police Dept. — Phoenix, AZ
Accident Veteran →
End of Watch May 19, 2013
Age 29
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
The Vigil Panel 162 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Daryl Raetz was struck and killed by an SUV while making an arrest for DUI near the intersection of 51st Avenue and Cambridge Drive.

At approximately 3:30 am Officer Raetz, along with several other officers, was processing a DUI suspect on the side of road when a passing SUV struck Officer Raetz. He was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital where he died.

The driver of the SUV fled the scene. He was arrested the following day after another officer spotted his vehicle and recognized it as matching the description of the vehicle that struck Officer Raetz. The subject is an illegal alien and was charged with drug possession. He pleaded no contest to charges of negligent homicide and hit-and-run with death or injury and was sentenced to serve eight years and an additional seven years of probation.

Officer Raetz was a veteran of the Iraq war and had served with the Phoenix Police Department for six years.

At approximately 3:30 am Officer Raetz, along with several other officers, was processing a DUI suspect on the side of road when a passing SUV struck Officer Raetz. He was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital where he died.

Officer Raetz was a veteran of the Iraq war and had served with the Phoenix Police Department for six years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, child, parents, and brother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-AZ-23F60434
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.
Police Officer Raetz gave the Phoenix Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Phoenix community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Location Phoenix, AZ
Platform Identity phoepd.maricopa.az.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 19, 2013
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
Age 29
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Cause Detail Struck by vehicle
Weapon Automobile
Offender In custody

Military Service

Daryl Michael Raetz served in the Navy (2002–2007) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Daryl Michael Raetz 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 AZ, 95 of 330 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 28.8% of this state's fallen. That is 2.2 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.

At Phoenix Police Dept., 14 of 47 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 29.8% of this agency's fallen.

Phoenix Police Dept.
14
of 47 officers
29.8% Accident
AZ — Statewide
95
of 330 officers
28.8% Accident
Nationwide
10,088
of 32,508 officers
31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Daryl Michael Raetz's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Daryl Michael Raetz Compares

Age at End of Watch
29
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
6
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

Offender Outcome

In custody

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Daryl Michael Raetz is highlighted in May.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
707
May
847
Jun
795
Jul
897
Aug
937
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location