Robert K. Barchey

Arizona Department of Corrections — Phoenix, AZ

Accident

End of Watch November 15, 1993

Age 46

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

The Vigil Panel 139 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 9

Incident

Correctional Officer Robert Barchey was killed when the bus he was riding in was struck head-on by a tractor-trailer that had jack-knifed near the junction of Arizona 87 and Arizona 287. He was transporting a prisoner when the accident occurred. The truck driver was also killed, and all 22 inmates aboard the bus were injured in the crash. Another correctional officer driving the bus suffered critical injuries that resulted in one of his legs being amputated. Officer Barchey had served with the Arizona Department of Corrections and was awarded the Meritorious Service Award for heroic actions.

Survivors

He was survived by his son and parents.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AZ-D6BC7B76
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.
Correctional Officer Barchey gave the Arizona Department of Corrections 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Arizona. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Barchey.

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

Agency

Department Arizona Department of Corrections

Location Phoenix, AZ

Platform Identity adcorr.maricopa.az.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 15, 1993

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

Age 46

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Correctional Officer Robert K. Barchey 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 Arizona Department of Corrections, 3 of 10 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this agency's fallen.

Arizona Department of Corrections

of 10 officers

30% Accident

AZ — Statewide

of 330 officers

28.8% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident