Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee
End of Watch: Friday, January 25, 2013
Age: 52
Tour of Duty: 35 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Automobile crash
Date of Incident: January 25, 2013
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Trooper Michael Slagle died following a vehicle crash on Longmire Road, near Emory Road, in Knox County.
His patrol car slid off the roadway after striking a patch of ice. Despite being stuck in his vehicle, he was able to notify dispatchers of the crash and rescue crews were sent to the scene. A responding fire truck slid on the same patch of ice and flipped over on top of his patrol car while he was still inside.
At some point during the incident Trooper Slagle suffered a fatal heart attack.
Trooper Slagle had served with the Tennessee Highway Patrol for 28 years and was assigned to the State Supreme Court Detail. He had previously served with the Granger County Sheriff's Office for seven years. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and son.