John Ray Riddle
Agency patch
Patrolman

John Ray Riddle

South Carolina Highway Patrol — Blythewood, SC
Accident Veteran
End of Watch January 15, 1961
Age 26
Tour of Duty 8 mo
The Vigil Panel 96 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman John Riddle was killed in an automobile crash when his patrol car was struck by a tractor-trailer on U.S. 301 south of Manning. He was traveling south just before dawn when he and the tractor-trailer collided. His patrol car burst into flames. He was Patrolman Riddle was a United States Army veteran and served with the South Carolina Highway Patrol for at least 8 months. He was survived by his wife, parents, two sisters, and four brothers. One of his brothers also served with the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, parents, two sisters, and four brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-A0698D50
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 Riddle served with the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
Thank you for your service to the people of South 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

Location Blythewood, SC
Platform Identity schp.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 15, 1961
Tour of Duty 8 mo
Age 26
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

John Ray Riddle served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Patrolman John Ray Riddle 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 SC, 137 of 438 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.3% of this state's fallen. That is 0.3 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

At South Carolina Highway Patrol, 31 of 52 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 59.6% of this agency's fallen.

South Carolina Highway Patrol
31
of 52 officers
59.6% Accident
SC — Statewide
137
of 438 officers
31.3% Accident
Nationwide
10,088
of 32,508 officers
31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Ray Riddle's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How John Ray Riddle Compares

Age at End of Watch
26
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
0.7
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. John Ray Riddle is highlighted in Jan.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
707
May
847
Jun
795
Jul
897
Aug
937
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location