North Carolina Highway Patrol, North Carolina
End of Watch: Thursday, May 27, 1948
Age: 26
Tour of Duty: 6 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Drowned
Date of Incident: May 26, 1948
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Patrolman Paul Smith drowned after his patrol car's hood came open, causing him to lose control of the vehicle on Route 49A in Davidson County. The car overturned into a water-filled ditch trapping him inside. He was taken to the hospital in Albemarle where he died the following day.
Patrolman Smith was a U.S Army Air Corps veteran of WWII and served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol for six months. He was survived by his wife.