David Ralph Slaton
Agency patch
Corporal

David Ralph Slaton

Accident
End of Watch September 20, 2010
Age 56
Tour of Duty 36 yrs
The Vigil Panel 159 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Corporal David Slaton was killed when his patrol car struck a cow that had wandered into the roadway on U.S. Highway 81, two miles south of Bowie, in Montague County.

After striking the cow, his patrol car veered into the path of an oncoming semi, causing a second collision.

Corporal Slaton had served with the Texas Highway Patrol for 36 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, son, parents, and siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtpazg2mseye34x7j1f7e
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 David. 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

36 years. You could have gone home.
Corporal Slaton gave the Texas Department of Public Safety 36 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the people of Texas. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Corporal Slaton.

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

Agency

Type Highway Patrol
Location Austin, Travis County, TX
Platform Identity tdpsthp.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 20, 2010
Tour of Duty 36 yrs
Age 56
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

David is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 2010, 71 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 44th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

David 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. David had served 36 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

September holds 9.2% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Mondays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol has 96 officers remembered here, David among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Corporal David Ralph Slaton

Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol · End of Watch September 20, 2010

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 58-E

↑