April 7, 2016

The following members of Troop K served our state with dignity and gave their lives in the course of their work with the intention that others be free to live in peace and safety. All who choose this life's work accept the possibility of paying its highest price, but do so knowing that we have made a sacred promise that they will never be forgotten. We honor those who have gone before us. The fallen members of Troop K will live forever in our work, in our memory, and most importantly in our hearts.

TROOPER THEODORE DOBBS - TROOP K - SEPTEMBER 29, 1924
Trooper Theodore Dobbs died on September 29, 1924 at the age of 24 from complications brought about by injuries sustained in a earlier motorcycle accident in Mineola, Long Island.
Trooper Dobbs was on routine patrol when he was struck by a truck that had passed a stop sign and entered the Jericho Turnpike in front of him. Trooper Dobbs lost his leg to surgical amputation and later succumbed to infection and pneumonia.
Trooper Dobbs was assigned to the Long Island Parkway Detail and was the first member of Troop "K" to lose his life in the performance of his duty.

TROOPER JOHN J. LANE - TROOP K - MAY 13, 1928
Trooper John J. Lane died instantly from head and neck injuries on May 13, 1928 at the Bethpage Barracks.
Trooper Lane was interviewing an area patrolman at the station concerning vandalism to construction equipment on the Wantagh Parkway. The Bethpage Station was then located on the second floor of a store front office and when Trooper Lane leaned against the banister, he lost his balance and fell to the ground.
Trooper Lane was a six year veteran and had served in the Scarsdale and White Plains Stations of Troop "K" prior to his Bethpage assignment.

TROOPER EDWARD F. DOLPHIN - TROOP K - AUGUST 6, 1928
On August 6, 1928, Corporal Edward F. Dolphin, 27, sustained fatal injuries in a motorcycle accident while returning to Troop "K" Headquarters from patrol on July 27, 1928. The motorcycle overturned when it struck a rut in the road near Kenisco Dam. Trooper Dolphin died ten days later in the White Plains Hospital as the result of a fractured skull.
Corporal Dolphin had been a member of Troop "K" since 1924 and rose to the rank of Corporal in 1927.
Corporal Dolphin had been Regimental Heavyweight Boxing Champion when he was assigned to a Coastal Defense Artillery Unit of the U.S. Army.

TROOPER CARL T. WILDER - TROOP K - SEPTEMBER 7, 1928
Trooper Carl T. Wilder was shot by an unknown assailant and left lying next to his motorcycle on the Tuxedo-Greenwood Lake Highway on September 7, 1928. Trooper Wilder was unable to reply to inquiries regarding his assailant before he died. The necktie he was clutching in his hand when he was found, apparently torn from the neck of his assailant, provided no clue to the murderer. It was theorized that Trooper Wilder may have been killed by bootleggers operating in the area.

TROOPER GARLAND BLAIR - TROOP K - OCTOBER 12, 1931
Trooper Garland Blair, 29, was killed instantly on October 12, 1931 when the open touring car in which he was a passenger rolled over twice. Trooper Blair, a two-year veteran assigned to Hawthorne, was returning from a burglary investigation when his partner, the operator of the vehicle, was blinded by the lights of an oncoming car and forced off Route 100 in Yorktown Heights. Trooper Blair was immediately transported to an area doctor's residence by a passing motorist but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Trooper Blair served in the U.S. Navy during World War I and came to New York from Zan Lier, Kentucky.

TROOPER VINCENT A. DUNN - TROOP K - SEPTEMBER 30, 1932
Trooper Vincent A. Dunn, 24, while on night patrol, was found unconscious behind the wheel of his car on September 30, 1932. While traveling north on Route 22 near Pawling his vehicle went off the road, clipped one telephone pole and struck another pole head on. Accident investigators theorized Trooper Dunn fell asleep and the vehicle drifted off the road onto a soft shoulder. He died of head injuries in the Danbury Hospital six hours after being found.
Trooper Dunn was a three-year veteran, serving Troop "K" at the Fishkill and Brewster Barracks.

TROOPER THOMAS C. LYNES - TROOP K - JUNE 3, 1935
Trooper Thomas C. Lynes, 25, was killed in a traffic accident on June 3, 1935, while travelling on the River Road, north of Tivoli.
There were no witnesses to the accident. Investigating officers theorized the accelerator stuck as the car plunged through 100 yards of dense undergrowth and small trees. Trooper Lynes was thrown from the vehicle and died of a fractured skull.
Trooper Lynes was assigned to the SP Fishkill Station.

TROOPER JOHN G. LORD - TROOP K - JULY 23, 1935
Corporal John G. Lord was seriously injured July 23, 1935 at 7:30 P.M. when the vehicle he was operating crashed into a traffic island on the Bronx River Parkway. There were no witnesses to the accident. Corporal Lord died shortly thereafter of a fractured skull. He was returning to SP Hawthorne upon completion of his tour of traffic duty.
Corporal Lord was a 14-year veteran and was assigned to the Attorney General's Office prior to his assignment to SP Hawthorne.

TROOPER WILLIAM T. GRAYDON - TROOP K - MARCH 19, 1938
Trooper Graydon died on March 19, 1938 at the age of 22 as a result of a motor vehicle accident.
On March 19, 1938, Trooper Graydon was enroute to the Troop "K" Headquarters along the Bronx River Parkway when his Troop car mounted the curbing on the roadside. The car left the roadway and struck a tree head-on killing Trooper Graydon instantly.
Trooper Graydon joined the Division on July 1, 1936 at SP Hawthorne, and served there until the time of his death.

TROOPER WILLIAM F. DOBBS, JR. - TROOP K - SEPTEMBER 24, 1939
Trooper William F. Dobbs Jr., 30, was critically injured while on motorcycle patrol August 27, 1939 on the Taconic Parkway in the Town of LaGrange. His motorcycle struck a vehicle that had crashed into the guardrails and was wedged diagonally across the roadway. Trooper Dobbs was thrown from his motorcycle and died of internal injuries at Vassar Hospital.
Trooper Dobbs was assigned to the South Millbrook Station for one year prior to his death.

TROOPER DONALD A. STRAND - TROOP K - SEPTEMBER 28, 1960
Trooper Strand died as a result of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident on September 12, 1960.
Trooper Strand, on leave, was advised that all leaves were cancelled due to severe storm conditions resulting from Hurricane Donna and he was ordered to report for duty. Trooper Strand was enroute to the Bridgehampton Station over North Sea Road when his vehicle and another vehicle collided head-on. The operator of the other vehicle was killed and Trooper Strand was critically injured. He succumbed to the injuries on September 28, 1960.
Trooper Strand joined the Division June 19, 1958, and served in Troop "B" prior to his transfer to the Troop "K" area of Long Island on April 23, 1959. He was assigned to the Bridgehampton Station at the time of his death.

TROOPER SALVATORE J. EMBARRATO - TROOP T - JULY 6, 1961
Trooper Salvatore J. Embarrato, 30, assigned to the Thruway at Tarrytown, was fatally injured in an accident while pursuing a speeder.
Trooper Embarrato lost control of his Troop car a mile east of the Tappan Zee Bridge toll booth. Witnesses to the accident said the Trooper was in pursuit of a speeding vehicle when his car suddenly swerved to the right and plunged down an embankment.
Trooper Embarrato, a native of New York City, joined the State Police in Troop "B", Malone, on May 22, 1958. He transferred to the Thruway October 12, 1959.

TROOPER CHARLES S. DORRIAN - TROOP K - SEPTEMBER 19, 1965
Trooper Charles S. Dorrian was killed at age 34 in a motorcycle accident which occurred September 19, 1965.
Trooper Dorrian was on routine patrol when he lost control of his motorcycle on rain slick Route 22 near the Kenisco Dam. Despite immediate first aid, Trooper Dorrian died without regaining consciousness.
Trooper Dorrian joined the Division August 2, 1956, and was assigned to Troop "G", SP East Greenbush. He volunteered for motorcycle duty and was transferred to Troop "K" in May 1957, serving at SP Dover Plains.

TROOPER BRIAN N. ROVNAK - TROOP K - FEBRUARY 2, 1983
Trooper Brian N. Rovnak lost his life On February 2, 1983 at the age of 39 in a one-car accident on Interstate 84, five miles east of the Taconic Parkway. The accident occurred while Trooper Rovnak and his partner were enroute to meet another patrol.
Trooper Rovnak was a Vietnam veteran, having served with a Military Police detachment in the U.S. Army.
He was a sixteen year veteran and had been assigned to patrol Interstate 84 and the Taconic Parkway since 1969.

TROOPER ROBERT G. DUNNING - TROOP K - JUNE 14, 1987
On June 14, 1987, at 9:50 p.m., Sergeant Robert Garzetta and Trooper Robert Dunning responded to a complaint of a subject menacing his neighbor with a rifle. Upon their arrival, the two Troopers engaged the individual in conversation. Then, without warning or provocation, the man raised his rifle and began firing at the two Division members. Trooper Dunning, age 45, was mortally wounded in the heart, while Sergeant Garzetta was wounded in the leg. Sergeant Garzetta returned fire, wounding the assailant three times. The assailant then turned his weapon on himself and committed suicide.