Trooper Fred Guthrie and his canine were drowned while on river flood patrol duty.

On August 1, 2011, Trooper Guthrie and his canine were on river patrol in the area of Routes 118 and 111 in Holt County when at about 3:00 pm another patrol unit discovered his unoccupied patrol truck idling on the roadway with his patrol boat still on it's trailer. Trooper Guthrie and his canine were presumed drowned after being swept into flood waters.

A massive search was initiated but neither Trooper Guthrie nor K-9 Reed could be located. The search was officially changed to a recovery effort later that evening. K-9 Reed's body was recovered Tuesday evening, approximately 100 yards from where Trooper Guthrie's Patrol Truck and boat were located. Trooper Guthrie remained missing, the search for his body continued for months.

On January 12, 2012 Trooper Guthrie's body was recovered from beneath 3 1/2 feet of sand and silt during an excavation of a brush pile south of where K-9 Reed was found months earlier.

Trooper Guthrie had served with the Missouri State Water Patrol for 17 years until the agency was merged into the Missouri State Highway Patrol in January 2011. He was assigned to the Highway Patrol's Water Division when the incident occurred.

Trooper Guthrie is survived by his wife and three children. He is the 30th member of the Missouri State Highway Patrol to die in the line of duty. Interred: Knob Noster Cemetery in Knob Noster, MO.

He is survived by his wife, two sons, brother, and two sisters. Interment: Missouri Veteran’s Cemetery in Bloomfield, MO.

Article by Brent Marchant