Tarrant County Sheriff's Office, Texas
End of Watch Wednesday, September 17, 1997
Add to My HeroesThomas Jay Smith
Investigator Thomas Smith and Lieutenant George Hendrix were killed when their Bell OH-58A helicopter crashed at Kenneth Copeland Airport at 9:30 a.m.
Lieutenant Hendrix was piloting the aircraft, one of two donated to the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office by the United States military. Witnesses stated that the helicopter had just taken off when it plummeted straight down. Bystanders pulled both deputies from the wreckage and administered CPR but were unable to save them due to intensive spinal, head, and internal injuries.
Investigator Smith was a United States Air Force veteran and had served with the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office for 12 years. He was survived by his wife and children.
Bio
- Age 45
- Tour 12 years
- Badge Not available
- Military Veteran
Incident Details
- Cause Aircraft accident
Related LODD Deaths
Lieutenant George Maurice Hendrix, Jr.
Tarrant County Sheriff's Office, TX
EOW: September 17, 1997
Most Recent Reflection
View all 14 ReflectionsTJ Smith was a true brother and a great Deputy. He was a brother in my masonic lodge and I was an Inspector for several small cities in western Tarrant County and TJ was always there to back me up, sometimes before I knew I would need it. I never asked him, but I figured he heard me over the radio and then always appeared as if from thin air. It was awesome to have TJ show up. I also sadly remember when the SO's office called me to tell me he had just been killed and asked if would I help inform the family. God bless TJ may he Rest in Peace.
Inspector (ret.), Cliff Schaefer
Azle, Lakeside, Lake Worth, and Newark Texas
September 4, 2024
Recent LODD Deaths
Corporal Brandon Schreiber
Newton County Sheriff's Department, IN
EOW: September 11, 2024
Police Officer Jaime Roman
Philadelphia Police Department, PA
EOW: September 10, 2024
Police Officer Zane Tristan Coolidge
Phoenix Police Department, AZ
EOW: September 6, 2024
Patrolman James Crowley
Chicago Police Department, IL
EOW: August 22, 2024
Officer Phylicia Carson
Osage Beach Police Department, MO
EOW: August 31, 2024
Police Officer Darron Lee Burks
Dallas Police Department, TX
EOW: August 29, 2024
Investigator Wayne David
Metropolitan Police Department, DC
EOW: August 28, 2024
Police Officer Austin Machitar
San Diego Police Department, CA
EOW: August 26, 2024
Investigator Taylor Jaimeson Bristow
Carroll County Sheriff's Office, GA
EOW: August 23, 2024