Trooper Ralph Tatoian was killed when his patrol car struck the back of a truck.

On March 20, 2005 at 0430 hours, Trooper Tatoian was killed when his patrol car struck the back of a truck on I-44, west of St. Louis while responding as a member of the emergency response team to search for a person suspected of shooting a sheriff's deputy in Gasconade County. Trooper Tatoian took an evasive maneuver to avoid a pedestrian and his patrol car struck the back of the tractor trailer that was pulled partially off of the highway due to a previous accident.

The suspect in the shooting of the sheriff's deputy was also convicted of second-degree murder in the death of Trooper Tatoian.

Trooper Tatoian served with the Missouri State Highway Patrol for 9 1/2 years. Trooper Tatoian was a member of the Patrol's Special Emergency Response Team. He was survived by his wife and three children. Interred: Bellefontaine Cemetery, Saint Louis, Missouri.