Roll of Honor
Incident
Trooper Barnes was killed when his patrol car was struck broadside by another auto one mile east of Waynesboro on Highway 64. He was attempting to back into a side road when a car rounded a curve and struck the patrol car on the driver's side. Trooper Barnes was a U.S Navy veteran and had served with the Tennessee Highway Patrol for two years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, and siblings.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-2BD635B5- 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.
Trooper Barnes gave the Tennessee Highway Patrol 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Tennessee, 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
William Gordon Barnes served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Trooper William Gordon Barnes 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 TN, 191 of 769 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 24.8% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Tennessee Highway Patrol, 30 of 41 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 73.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Gordon Barnes's cause is highlighted.
How William Gordon Barnes Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. William Gordon Barnes is highlighted in Jan.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
40 officers from Tennessee Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
