| Trooper Ralph George Zerda
Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol
Texas
End of Watch: Sunday, May 21, 1989 Biographical Info
Age: Not available
Tour of Duty: 5 years
Badge Number: Not available Incident Details
Cause of Death: Vehicular assault
Date of Incident: Sunday, May 21, 1989
Weapon Used: Automobile; Alcohol involved
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 10 years Trooper Zerda and Sergeant William Kuhnle were killed when a drunk truck driver crashed his tractor trailer into their parked patrol car. The officers were parked on the shoulder after stopping another drunk driver.
The drunk driver was sentenced to two concurrent 10 year sentences in prison, but was released after serving only 4 years.
Trooper Zerda had served with the agency for five years. Related Line of Duty Deaths | 
