Roll of Honor
Incident
Captain Jerry Best was struck and killed by a vehicle while removing a deer carcass from NC 581 a half mile north of Cherry Hospital.
The deer had been struck by a vehicle and was dying when Captain Best passed by. He put the deer out of its misery and was attempting to move it from the roadway when he was struck and killed by a passing car.
Captain Best had been employed with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office for 25 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-4FAFD496- 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.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Jerry. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
25 years. You could have gone home.
Captain Best gave the Wayne County Sheriff's Office 25 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Goldsboro community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Captain Best.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Captain Jerry Kenneth Best 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 NC, 205 of 664 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.9% of this state's fallen.
At Wayne County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Jerry Kenneth Best's cause is highlighted.
How Jerry Kenneth Best Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Jerry Kenneth Best is highlighted in Nov.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Wayne County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
