Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Gary Henderson was struck and killed by two tires from a semitrailer while assisting at a traffic stop on eastbound I-74 near the Route 44 entrance ramp.
Sergeant Henderson responded to a call for assistance from a Shelby County deputy sheriff who had pulled over a stolen vehicle with two juvenile suspects. After arriving at the scene at 11:40 pm, Sergeant Henderson began taking photographs from outside of his patrol car.
As a passing semitrailer was changing lanes, a set of rear dual tires and wheels disengaged from the passenger side of the trailer and struck Sergeant Henderson, killing him instantly. The driver of the semitrailer, when stopped a short distance from the scene by another officer, was unaware of what had happened.
No traffic violations were issued against the driver of the semitrailer, but he faces a deportation hearing as an illegal immigrant. The 13- and 14-year-old male juveniles have been charged with being runaways and with auto theft.
Sergeant Henderson had served with the Shelbyville Police Department as a police officer for 29 years and as a parking enforcement officer for four years. He was survived by his wife, son, parents, and three sisters. His son went on to serve as a police officer with the department.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, son, parents, and three sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IN-CB4A08B3- 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
33 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Henderson gave the Shelbyville Police Department 33 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Shelbyville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Henderson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Gary Wayne Henderson 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 IN, 151 of 503 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Gary Wayne Henderson's cause is highlighted.
How Gary Wayne Henderson Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Gary Wayne Henderson is highlighted in Oct.