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Coby Lee Roy Slaughter

Captain

Captain Slaughter was driving an engine responding to a report of an oil tank storage battery fire. The roadway was wet from recent heavy rain.

A tractor trailer tanker approached from the other direction. As it approached the responding engine, the empty trailer began to hydroplane and the entire tractor trailer unit drifted into the opposing lane of traffic. The tractor trailer struck the engine apparatus, which went off of the roadway and rolled.

Captain Slaughter was severely injured and had to be extricated from the apparatus. He was removed from the apparatus and transported to the hospital at 1854hrs. He was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival at the hospital.

The driver of the tractor trailer was charged with driving too fast for conditions and failure to remain in the travel lane. Captain Slaughter was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash.

The Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office prepared a detailed report on this incident. The report is available at https://www.tdi.texas.gov/reports/fire/documents/fmloddslaughter.pdf

photo of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Coby Lee Roy Slaughter was honored on the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland and was included in the USFA’s annual report Firefighter Fatalities in the United States.

Department information

Wink Volunteer Fire Department
210 E. Hendricks Blvd
Wink, Texas 79789

Chief: Robbie Wolf

Age: 36
Rank: Captain
Classification: Volunteer
Incident date: September 7, 2016 18:05
Date of death: September 7, 2016
Cause of fatal injury: Vehicle Collision - Includes Aircraft
Nature of fatal injury: Asphyxiation
Activity type: Driving/Operating Vehicle/Apparatus
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: Responding
Fixed property use: Street/Road

Last updated: August 30, 2017