Douglas E. Knutson

End of Watch:  Friday, January 2, 1998
Badge:  3818
Age:  43

Motorcycle Officer Douglas E. Knutson suffered multiple injuries when struck from behind by a small pickup truck driven by Brett Baxter, 22, of Tempe while standing and waiting for a tow truck to remove an abandoned vehicle at the gore point of Scottsdale Road and westbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway). He was taken to Maricopa County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Officer Knutson was the first DPS motorcycle officer to be killed in the line of duty. Baxter was not charged.