Justin Robert Schaffer
Agency patch
Trooper

Justin Robert Schaffer

Washington State Patrol — Olympia, WA
Accident
End of Watch March 24, 2020
Age 28
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Trooper Justin Schaffer was struck and killed by a fleeing vehicle while attempting to deploy stop sticks during a vehicle pursuit along I-5 in Chehalis.

The suspect driving the vehicle had stolen an item from a convenience store in Lacey the previous day. The man had threatened the clerk with a stun gun and threatened to run him over. Thurston County deputies spotted the truck the following day and attempted to stop it in Maytown. The vehicle fled into Lewis County with deputies pursuing it.

Trooper Schaffer was struck by the subject as he attempted to deploy stop sticks near mile marker 79. The man continued to flee until stopping and barricading himself inside his vehicle several miles later.

The subject was taken into custody by Thurston County deputies and charged with vehicular homicide when he tested positive for methamphetamine. He accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to 45 years in prison for murder and attempted murder.

Trooper Schaffer had served with the Washington State Patrol for six years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, parents, and brother.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
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 Schaffer gave the Washington State Patrol 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Washington. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Schaffer.

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

Agency

Type Highway Patrol
Location Olympia, Thurston County, WA
Platform Identity whp.wa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 24, 2020
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 28
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Cause Detail Vehicle pursuit
Weapon Automobile

The Sacrifice · Accident

Justin is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 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 2020, 45 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 103rd heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Justin 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. Justin had served 7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

March holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. 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. The weapon recorded was automobile, in 6.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Washington State Patrol has 34 officers remembered here, Justin among them.

VI

Where

Trooper Justin Robert Schaffer

Washington State Patrol · End of Watch March 24, 2020

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 16-E

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