Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Melvin Phillips and Patrolman Floyd Gresham were killed when their cruiser was struck by a tractor-trailer while they conducted a traffic stop. They had stopped another tractor-trailer on Route 40 (modern day U.S. Highway 287) and were issuing a citation when the other semi rear-ended their cruiser, crushing it between the two trucks, and pushing both vehicles more than 65 feet. Patrolman Phillips had been employed with the Colorado State Patrol for two years.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CO-DBD1A335- 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.
Patrolman Phillips gave the Colorado State Patrol 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Colorado. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Phillips.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman Melvin E. Phillips 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 CO, 101 of 360 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 28.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.9 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Colorado State Patrol, 19 of 30 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 63.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Melvin E. Phillips's cause is highlighted.
How Melvin E. Phillips Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Melvin E. Phillips is highlighted in Feb.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
29 officers from Colorado State Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
