Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Eric Mumaw drowned in the Cumberland River while attempting to save a suicidal woman.
He and another officer had responded to the Peeler Park Greenway Trailhead after receiving reports that a woman in a vehicle was contemplating suicide. The officers located the vehicle and were attempting to speak to the woman when the car rolled down the boat ramp and into the river. As the officers attempted to pull the woman from the car, they were both swept further into the river, which had a water temperature of 49-degrees.
A third officer followed them as they were swept down the river and entered the river to rescue Officer Mumaw but was unable to reach him due to the freezing temperatures. Officer Mumaw's body was recovered several hours later.
The woman escaped from the vehicle and was found on the river bank intoxicated. She subsequently pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide by intoxication and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Officer Mumaw had served with the Metro Nashville Police Department for 18 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his mother, brother, and sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-760E4EE9- 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.
Police Officer Mumaw gave the Metro Nashville Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Nashville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Mumaw.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Eric Wayne Mumaw 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 Metro Nashville Police Department, 7 of 20 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 35% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Eric Wayne Mumaw's cause is highlighted.
How Eric Wayne Mumaw Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to 12 years
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Eric Wayne Mumaw is highlighted in Feb.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
19 officers from Metro Nashville Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
