Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Waldrop succumbed to injuries sustained the previous day in an automobile accident in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. He was riding in a vehicle being driven by another trooper as the two responded to a call involving other officers involved in a foot pursuit. As they responded down Highway 41 a vehicle pulled out of Moncrief Avenue, causing them to collide with the vehicle. Sergeant Waldrop was treated and released from the hospital but suffered a fatal blood clot the following day while recovering at home. Sergeant Waldrop had served with the agency for 9 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-D2F3B78D- 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.
Staff Sergeant Waldrop gave the Tennessee Highway Patrol 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Tennessee. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Staff Sergeant Waldrop.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Staff Sergeant Fred Cole Waldrop 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. Fred Cole Waldrop's cause is highlighted.
How Fred Cole Waldrop Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Fred Cole Waldrop is highlighted in Mar.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
40 officers from Tennessee Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
