United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - United States Border Patrol, U.S. Government
End of Watch: Thursday, September 2, 2010
Age: 32
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Badge Number: C395
Cause of Death: Vehicular assault
Date of Incident: September 2, 2010
Weapon Used: Automobile; Alcohol involved
Suspect Info: Charged with manslaughter
Border Patrol Agent Michael Gallagher was killed when his patrol truck was struck by a drunk driver on Indian Route 19 on the Tohono O'odham Reservation near Topawa, Arizona.
His truck was struck by a drunk driver who ran a stop sign as she entered Indian Route 19 from a dirt road. The collision caused his truck to overturn, ejecting him from the vehicle. The drunk driver was charged with voluntary manslaughter, DUI, and other charges, and plead guilty to manslaughter. She was sentenced to five years in prison.
Agent Gallagher had served with the United States Border Patrol for two years and was assigned to the Tucson Sector; he had previously served with the United States Army in Iraq. He is survived by his wife, two sons, mother, father, and two sisters.