Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Darrell Adams was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer on I-40 near North Watkins Street shortly after 11:00 am.
He and other officers were investigating a vehicle accident when he was struck and killed.
Officer Adams served with the Memphis Police Department for 5-1/2 years and previously served three years with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office.
Survivors
He is survived by his expectant wife and mother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-8E38FC26- 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 Adams gave the Memphis Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Memphis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Adams.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Darrell Dewayne Adams 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 Memphis Police Department, 25 of 94 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 26.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Darrell Dewayne Adams's cause is highlighted.
How Darrell Dewayne Adams Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Darrell Dewayne Adams is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
93 officers from Memphis Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
