Mart Dennis Tarrant

Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol — Austin, TX

Felonious

End of Watch November 4, 1935

Age 38

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 70 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 94

Incident

Patrolman Mart Tarrant was killed when his police motorcycle was struck by a drunk driver on Highway 2 (modern day I-35) in Waco, Texas. A drunk driver attempted to pass other vehicles and entered Patrolman Tarrant's lane of travel. He collided with Patrolman Tarrant's motorcycle, causing serious injuries. Patrolman Tarrant was transported to Colgins Hospital where he died the following day. The driver was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated and murder. Patrolman Tarrant had served with the Texas Highway Patrol for four years.

Survivors

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

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-170FA727
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.
Patrolman Tarrant gave the Texas Department of Public Safety 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Texas. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Tarrant.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol

Location Austin, TX

Platform Identity tdpsthp.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 4, 1935

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 38

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile; Alcohol involved

Offender Charged with murder

Patrolman Mart Dennis Tarrant is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol, 35 of 95 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 36.8% of this agency's fallen.

Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol

of 95 officers

36.8% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious