Prev
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Burtice Wickstrum was killed in an automobile crash at N. 3rd Ave and W. Fillmore Street while responding to a sighting of a wanted mass murderer. He was traveling westbound on Fillmore Street when a northbound sedan collided with him at Third Avenue. He was thrown from the vehicle and pinned between a tree and his patrol vehicle. The other deputy in the car and the other driver were not injured. Deputy Wickstrum had served with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office for four years.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtnf7d7a76em5yn72n9ts- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Burtice. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Wickstrum gave the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Phoenix community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Wickstrum.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Accident
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office has lost 28 officers; 10 of them lost to accidents.
Burtice is one of 95 officers lost to accidents in AZ, 28.8% of the 330 remembered there.
Burtice is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Burtice is one of 10,100 officers lost to accidents worldwide, 29.6% of the 34,117 remembered here.
34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1951, 1 officer at Maricopa County Sheriff's Office was lost to accidents, more than in any other year.
In 1951, 1 officer in AZ was lost to accidents, the 23rd heaviest of 56 years on record. The heaviest was 1973, with 5.
In 1951, 70 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 48th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.
In 1951, 76 officers worldwide were lost to accidents, the 64th heaviest of 200 years on record. The heaviest was 1930, with 131.
Who
Burtice was 56. Of the 9 lost to accidents at Maricopa County Sheriff's Office whose age is recorded, half were between 32 and 45; the middle age was 39. Burtice had served 4 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Burtice was 56. Of the 92 lost to accidents in AZ whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 43; the middle age was 34.5. Burtice had served 4 years; the middle length of service was 7 years.
Burtice was 56. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Burtice had served 4 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Burtice was 56. Of the 9,451 lost to accidents worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 45; the middle age was 36. Burtice had served 4 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
January holds 10% of these deaths at Maricopa County Sheriff's Office; November holds the most, 20%. Mondays: 40%.
January holds 7.4% of these deaths in AZ; November holds the most, 14.7%. Mondays: 18.9%.
January holds 7.7% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Mondays: 13.4%.
January holds 8.1% of these deaths worldwide; August holds the most, 9.3%. Mondays: 13.5%.
How
Accident deaths account for 35.7% of all 28 deaths at Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 28.8% of all 330 deaths in AZ, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 29.6% of all 34,117 deaths worldwide, the 2nd most common cause.
His people
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office has 28 officers remembered here, Burtice among them.
-
Kurtz Fickas
Nov 17, 1916
-
Almon W. Dana Apr 9, 1922
-
Robert Lee Wright Jan 29, 1930
-
Edward J. Roberts
Jul 21, 1937
-
Burtice W. Wickstrum
Jan 8, 1951
-
Gerald Barnes
Oct 5, 1957
-
Robert L. Dorn
Aug 31, 1965
-
Warren LaRue
Jan 18, 1971
-
Rex Atwood Stone
Jan 18, 1971
-
Ralph K. Butler
Jun 12, 1972
-
James L. Epp
Mar 1, 1978
-
Darrell Dean McCloud
May 13, 1985
-
Vernon P. Marconnet
Jun 30, 1988
-
Patrick Joseph Riley
Mar 11, 1994
-
Edwardo M. Gonzales
Aug 28, 1995
-
Kenneth Ray Blair
Sep 28, 1995
-
Gary Frederick Labenz
Oct 10, 2005
-
William Hauley Coleman
Jan 8, 2012
-
David William Wargo, Jr.
May 1, 2012
-
Gene Wade Lee
Oct 30, 2019
-
Ernest Quintero
Jul 6, 2020
-
Kevin Joseph Fletcher
Jul 6, 2020
-
Miroslaw Mroczkowski
Jul 15, 2020
-
Alicia Dawn Carter
Aug 9, 2021
-
Kendall Leroy Thomas
Sep 10, 2021
-
Juan Miguel Ruiz
Oct 11, 2021
-
Chad Owen Brackman
Nov 10, 2021
-
Shawn A. Braaten
Dec 16, 2021
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 35-E
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
27 officers from Maricopa County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
