Paul Ashburn
Agency patch
Trooper

Paul Ashburn

New York State Police — Albany, NY
Accident
End of Watch July 26, 1983
Age 28
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
The Vigil Panel 127 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Trooper Paul Ashburn was killed when a tractor-trailer struck him and the vehicle he had stopped for a traffic infraction on the New York Thruway, approximately 10 miles south of Rochester. He had issued the driver a warning and was speaking to her when his head was struck by the mirror on the passing truck. The driver of the tractor-trailer was charged with negligent homicide but was acquitted. Trooper Ashburn had served with the New York State Police for four years. He was survived by his wife, infant daughter, parents, and siblings. His younger brother also became a New York State trooper. He was assigned Trooper Ashburn's badge upon graduation from the academy.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, infant daughter, parents, and siblings.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Trooper Ashburn gave the New York State Police 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of New York. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Ashburn.

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

Agency

Type State Police
Location Albany, Albany County, NY
Platform Identity nysp.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 26, 1983
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Age 28
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

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

34,117 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 1983, 74 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 36th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Paul was 28. 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. Paul had served 4 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Tuesdays: 14.1%.

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

New York State Police has at least 120 officers remembered here, Paul among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Trooper Paul Ashburn

New York State Police · End of Watch July 26, 1983

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 38-E

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