Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Robert Coulter was accidentally shot and killed while placing his department-issued shotgun in the electronic shotgun rack of his patrol car.
The shotgun is normally positioned in a vertical position between the two front seats. It is believed the trigger was depressed when Officer Coulter positioned the shotgun in the lock. The incident occurred in the parking lot of the CHP's Weaverville station.
Officer Coulter's shift started at 6:00 a.m., and another officer discovered his body at approximately 9:30 a.m.
Officer Coulter was a United States Army Military Police veteran and had served with the California Highway Patrol for 14 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, son, daughter, mother, and two sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-673B1F3C- 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.
Officer Coulter gave the California Highway Patrol 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Robert Joseph Coulter served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Officer Robert Joseph Coulter 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 CA, 719 of 1,837 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.1% of this state's fallen. That is 8.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At California Highway Patrol, 151 of 233 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 64.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert Joseph Coulter's cause is highlighted.
How Robert Joseph Coulter Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Robert Joseph Coulter is highlighted in Nov.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
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