Oregon County Sheriff's Department, Missouri
End of Watch: Monday, February 19, 2001
Age: 33
Tour of Duty: 8 years
Badge Number: 406
Cause of Death: Vehicular assault
Date of Incident: February 19, 2001
Weapon Used: Automobile
Suspect Info: Injured in accident
Chief Deputy Nathan Murphy was killed when his cruiser was struck head-on by a vehicle being pursued by other officers.
A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper had attempted to stop the vehicle for a traffic violation when the suspect driver failed to yield. The trooper requested assistance from the Oregon County Sheriff's Department and Chief Deputy Murphy answered the call.
After leading the officers down several gravel roads, the suspect rammed head on into Chief Deputy Murphy's cruiser.
Chief Deputy Murphy was flown to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries approximately two hours later. The suspect was also injured in the collision.
The Oregon County Sheriff's Department has a total of five officers. Chief Deputy Murphy had been employed with the Oregon County Sheriff's Department for eight years after serving as chief in another agency.
Chief Deputy Murphy is survived by his wife and family.