Texas EMS Line of Duty Deaths

The Texas Department of State Health Services honors emergency medical services personnel who lost their lives while on EMS duty with the Texas EMS Hall of Honor memorial. The plaques permanently hang at the Texas Department of State Health Services in Austin at the EMS central offices, 1100 West 49th Street. Individuals are inducted into the Texas EMS Hall of Honor at the Texas EMS Conference in November of each year. View the list of Texas EMS Hall of Honor Inductees.

Submission Instructions

To submit a nominee for placement in the Texas EMS Hall of Honor the Line of Duty Death Notification for EMS Personnel form must be completed and submitted on or before August 31st. Any nomination received after August 31st will be considered for the subsequent year's Texas EMS Hall of Honor service. Due to the preparatory time required for the Texas EMS Hall of Honor service, there will be no exceptions made to this policy.

Instructions for Submitting a Line of Duty Death Notification for EMS Personnel Form

Nominee Criteria

The nominee must:

  • Hold current individual Texas EMS certification or licensure.
  • Have no pending disciplinary actions.
  • Have been performing EMS duties at the time of death (i.e., transporting patients, treating patients, and may include attending meetings, public appearances or other related functions which may include medical helicopter or airplane pilot).
  • Have followed established safety regulations, local protocols, and standard operating procedures.
  • Be approved by the DSHS Office of EMS and Trauma Systems Coordination.

Contact Information

For information on the National EMS Memorial Service:

National EMS Memorial Service
2910 North Powers Blvd.  #119
Colorado Springs, CO  80922-2818
Phone: 719-286-0299
Email: info@nemsms.org

For information on EMS Provider Federal Death Benefits:

Public Safety Officers Benefits Act
United States Department of Justice
Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program Bureau of Justice Assistance
810 Seventh Street, NW
Washington, DC 20531
Phone: 202-307-0635; Toll free: 888-744-6513; Fax: 202-514-5956
Website: EMS Provider Federal Death Benefits
E-mail: AskPSOB@usdoj.gov

For information on Texas Line of Duty Death Response Team:

Texas Line of Duty Death Response Team
PO Box 925
Friendswood, TX 77546
Phone: 832-757-1499
Website: Texas Line of Duty Death Response Team
Email: wendy@texasloddtaskforce.com


Texas EMS Hall of Honor Inductees

Name Inductee Information
Steven James Taylor EMT-Special Skills
June 23, 1981
Nacogdoches County Hospital District EMS
Ambulance crash
James Simpson ECA
November 29, 1984
Willacy County EMS
Responding to a motor vehicle crash  
Mary Beck EMT-Paramedic
July 29, 1987
Bryan Fire Department
Motor vehicle crash  
Glenn R. James EMT-Paramedic
September 1, 1988
El Paso EMS
Struck by drunk driver while at motor vehicle crash
James Ed Thomas EMT-Paramedic
May 31, 1988
Mother Frances Hospital Flight for Life
During resuscitation of patient in contact with downed electrical wire
Jeanne Lackey RN, EMT-Paramedic
February 13, 1989
Mother Frances Hospital Flight for Life
Helicopter crash
Gerald Morgan Sr. EMS Pilot
February 13, 1989
Mother Frances Hospital Flight for Life
Helicopter crash
Kathryn Ohnheiser RN, EMT
February 13, 1989
Mother Frances Hospital Flight for Life
Helicopter crash
Mark Beck EMT-Paramedic
July 24, 1991
Lubbock EMS
During patient transport
Larry Wright EMT
April 29, 1992
Redwater-Maud Volunteer EMS
Toxic inhalation during rescue attempt
Barry Allen Lawrence RN
February 10, 1994
Critical Air Medicine, San Antonio
Airplane crash
Brett Alan Martens EMS Pilot
February 10, 1994
Critical Air Medicine, San Antonio
Airplane crash
William Drake Smith RN
March 16, 1994
Critical Air Medicine, San Antonio
Airplane crash
Kimberly Annette Neal EMT, EMT-Paramedic student
June 13, 1994
Mother Frances Hospital
Hit and run crash while enroute to paramedic class
Debbie Marie Samson EMT
May 12, 1995
Hull-Daisetta EMS
Ambulance crash
Danial Tharp EMT-Paramedic
September 13, 1997
Rockwall EMS
Motor vehicle crash
Deanene (Dee) Seago EMT-Paramedic
May 1, 1998
Williams Medic-Aid, Orange County Ambulance
Ambulance crash
Vicente Antonio Martinez Pilot
June 5, 1998
Valley AirCare
Helicopter crash
Carlos De La Fuente EMT-Paramedic, RN
June 5, 1998
Valley AirCare
Helicopter crash
Brenda Leinweber EMT-Paramedic, Instructor
June 5, 1998
Valley AirCare
Helicopter crash
Steve Tippens EMT
December 9, 1998
Etoile Volunteer Fire Department
Motor vehicle crash
Charles "Mac" Atteberry Licensed Paramedic
July 17, 1999
Hermann Hospital LifeFlight
Helicopter crash
Lynn Ethridge RN, EMT-Paramedic
July 17, 1999
Hermann Hospital LifeFlight
Helicopter crash
John Pittman Pilot
July 17, 1999
Hermann Hospital LifeFlight
Helicopter crash
William Bethune EMT
October 15, 1999
Texas City Fire Department
Fire engine crash
James M. Dunham EMT
November 18, 1999
Saint Jo Volunteer Fire-EMS
Cardiac arrest while extricating patient
Chester "Chip" Ray Pierce, Jr. EMT-Paramedic
January 1, 2000
Medic One Ambulance
Ambulance crash
Terry Alan Griffith EMT-Paramedic
March 10, 2000
Northwest Texas Healthcare System LifeStar
Helicopter crash
Ed Sanneman Pilot
March 10, 2000
Northwest Texas Healthcare System LifeStar
Helicopter crash
Lauren Eileen Stone RN, EMT-Paramedic
March 10, 2000
Northwest Texas Healthcare System LifeStar
Helicopter crash
Curtis James Davidson EMT-Paramedic
March 24, 2000
NorthStar EMS, Houston
Ambulance crash
Miguel Angel Morales EMT
March 1, 2001
ACT Ambulance, Edcouch-Elsa
Respiratory failure
September 11, 2001 To the fallen emergency response personnel
James E. Taylor EMT-I
January 19, 2003
Bonham Fire Department
Ambulance crash
Raymond B. Davis EMT-Paramedic
September 18, 2003
Lubbock EMS
Cardiac arrest on duty
Paul Lujan EMT-Paramedic
March 21, 2004
CareStar EMS
Helicopter crash
Mickey Price Pilot
March 21, 2004
CareStar EMS
Helicopter crash
Marco Villalobos Licensed Paramedic
October 24, 2004
El Paso Fire Department
Fixed-wing medical transport crash
Christopher Clingan EMT-Paramedic
February 19, 2005
Liberty-Eylau Volunteer Fire Department
Ambulance/Train crash
Joe Alvarez, Jr. Licensed Paramedic
September 13, 2006
East Texas Medical Center EMS
Ambulance crash
Eric Hanson Licensed Paramedic
October 10, 2006
Marble Falls Area EMS
Ambulance crash
Raul Garcia Jr. RN
February 5, 2008
Valley Air Care
Helicopter crash
Robert Goss Pilot
February 5, 2008
Valley Air Care
Helicopter crash
Michael T. Sanchez EMT-Paramedic
February 5, 2008
Valley Air Care
Helicopter crash
Jana Bishop Licensed Paramedic/RN
June 8, 2008
PHI, Inc
Helicopter crash
Stephanie Waters EMT-Paramedic
June 8, 2008
PHI, Inc
Helicopter crash
Wayne Kirby Pilot
June 8, 2008
PHI, Inc
Helicopter crash
Larry Feagin EMT-Paramedic
August 13, 2009
Gemini Ambulance
Cardiac arrest on duty
Anthony Archuleta EMT-Paramedic
February 5, 2010
Southwest MedEvac
Helicopter crash
William Montgomery Pilot
February 5, 2010
Southwest MedEvac
Helicopter crash
John Sutter EMT-Paramedic
February 5, 2010
Southwest MedEvac
Helicopter crash
Ted Caffarel Pilot
July 4, 2010
Air Ambulance STAT
Helicopter crash
Tracy Chambers Licensed Paramedic
July 4, 2010
Air Ambulance STAT
Helicopter crash
Sharon Falkner EMT-Paramedic
July 4, 2010
Air Ambulance STAT
Helicopter crash
Casey Lee Steenland EMT
August 13, 2010
Champion Ambulance Service
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Michael Hatley EMT
December 25, 2011
East Texas Medical Center EMS
Massive hemorrhagic stroke
Michael Steffen ECA
March 12, 2012
Northern Hudspeth County EMS
Car crash while responding to call
Derek Brewster EMT-P
July 11, 2013
Pampa EMS and Boys Ranch
Car crash while on duty
Mark Mirelez   EMT-P
March 5, 2013
City of Robstown EMS
Sudden illness while on duty
Kevin Clay Caldwell EMT-P
July 11, 2013
Haskell County EMS
Cardiac arrest while on duty
Raymond Allison LP
February 11, 2014
Sterling County EMS
Ambulance crash during transport
Monica Chavez RN
August 27, 2014
Elite Medical Transport
Airplane crash while transporting patient
Taurean Summers LP
August 27, 2014
Elite Medical Transport
Airplane crash while transporting patient
Juan Martinez Pilot
August 27, 2014
Elite Medical Transport
Airplane crash while transporting patient
Michael Howard EMT-P, Instructor
September 13, 2014
Jewett EMS
Cardiac arrest during transport
Erasmus (Johan) van de Colff LP
October 22, 2014
AirEvac Lifetream
Helicopter Crash
Kristin McLain Flight Nurse
April 27, 2015
Travis County STAR Flight
Fall from helicopter during transport
Daniel Hampton EMT
September 18, 2015\
Jewett EMS
Ambulance crash
Scott P. Deem LP
February 23, 2017
San Antonio Fire Department
Fire response
William C. Ringer LP
February 23, 2017 
Liberty County Emergency Medical Services Inc.
Cardiac arrest while on duty
Misty Dawn Nicholson Flight Nurse, EMT
April 28, 2017
Rico Aviation
Air ambulance crash
Scott Allan Riola Flight Nurse
April 28, 2017
Rico Aviation
Air ambulance crash
Robin Dale Shaw  Pilot
April 28, 2017
Rico Aviation
Air ambulance crash
Felipe "Philip" Huerta EMT
December 16, 2018
Hidalgo County EMS
Ambulance crash
Bryant Anderson EMTP
August 18, 2020
City of Converse Fire/EMS
Complications due to COVID-19
Joseph Mitchell EMTP
December 11, 2020
City of Converse Fire/EMS
Complications due to COVID-19
William Reed LP 
December 13, 2020
Stratford EMS
Complications due to COVID-19
Roger Dean EMTP
April 21, 2021
Seguin Fire Department
Complications due to COVID-19
Allen Ainsworth

EMT
April 22, 2020
Colorado County EMS
Medical complications during patient transport

Michael Scudder
 

EMTP
December 5, 2021
Alpine EMS
Medical complications during patient transport

David Eads EMTP
November 17, 2021
UT Health East Texas
Ambulance crash
Sarah Kaderli Junell EMTP
January 8, 2022
City Ambulance Service
Ambulance crash