Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman David Searcy was killed when his patrol car was struck from behind in Catawba County while he assisted another trooper on U.S. 64 (modern-day U.S. 70) approximately three miles east of Hickory. Patrolman Searcy was a U.S. Army Air Force veteran of WWII. He was survived by his wife, two children, three brothers, and one foster-brother. The North Carolina Department of Transportation named a bridge over Interstate 40 at Startown Road in Hickory North Carolina in honor of Patrolman Searcy.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, two children, three brothers, and one foster-brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-61C3F9EA- 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.
Patrolman Searcy served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol.
Thank you for your service to the people of North Carolina, and 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
David Baxter Searcy served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman David Baxter Searcy 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 North Carolina Highway Patrol, 41 of 69 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 59.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. David Baxter Searcy's cause is highlighted.
How David Baxter Searcy Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. David Baxter Searcy is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
68 officers from North Carolina Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
