Senior Police Officer Phoukham Tran

Phoukham Tran

Senior Police Officer Phoukham Tran succumbed to injuries he received when he was struck by a drunk driver at the intersection of East 30th Street and East Grand Avenue in Des Moines on August 19, 2011.

Officer Tran was directing traffic at the Iowa State Fair when the driver of a pickup hit him and threw him 47 feet into the air. He was transported to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics where he was treated for traumatic brain injury, broken ribs, and ruptured spleen.

The driver was convicted of serious injury by vehicle, operating while intoxicated-2nd offense, and possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to seven years.

Officer Tran remained wheelchair-bound, suffering from seizures and speech, memory, vision, and coordination issues. On November 2, 2023, he passed away from his injuries.

Officer Tran had served with the Des Moines Police Department as a police officer for over 12 years and was a cadet with the agency for 18 years. He is survived by his wife and two children.