Roy Eugene Ashe

Jackson County Sheriff's Office — Sylva, NC

Cardiac

End of Watch April 13, 1995

Age 38

Tour of Duty 17 yrs

The Vigil Panel 141 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Deputy Ashe suffered a fatal heart attack following a high speed pursuit that went through narrow, steep mountain roads in three different counties. The officers were chasing a driver who was a member of a local militia movement that refused to register their vehicles or obtain license plates.

The chase started when a deputy attempted to stop the driver for not having a license plate. Deputy Ashe was found in his patrol car at approximately 12:15 am after breaking off from the chase. The suspect was released from jail in 2002 after serving only five years.

Deputy Ashe had been in law enforcement for 17 years.

A section of US Highway 441, in Jackson County, was named the Deputy Roy Eugene Ashe Highway in his honor.

Deputy Ashe, rest in peace.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis February 10th, 2019

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NC-5CC01458
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.
Deputy Ashe gave the Jackson County Sheriff's Office 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Sylva community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Ashe.

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

Agency

Department Jackson County Sheriff's Office

Location Sylva, NC

Platform Identity jcso.jackson.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 13, 1995

Tour of Duty 17 yrs

Age 38

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Deputy Roy Eugene Ashe is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In NC, 33 of 664 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 5% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

At Jackson County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 4 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.

Jackson County Sheriff's Office

of 4 officers

25% Cardiac

NC — Statewide

of 664 officers

5% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac