A fallen Texas Department of Public Safety trooper from West Texas has been posthumously recognized with the state’s highest distinction for emergency personnel. Trooper Kevin Ramirez Vasquez, who died after being struck while assisting at a traffic collision in 2024, was recently awarded the prestigious Star of Texas Award during an official state ceremony held in Austin.
The Star of Texas Award represents one of the premier honors that the state of Texas bestows upon its first responders. Designed to pay solemn tribute to peace officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel, the award formally recognizes individuals who have suffered catastrophic injuries or made the ultimate sacrifice while carrying out their official responsibilities in the line of duty.
The formal presentation is traditionally observed each year on September 11, serving as a statewide moment of remembrance and gratitude for law enforcement and emergency personnel. During the Austin event, Governor Greg Abbott presided over the ceremony, personally presenting the medals and citations directly to surviving honorees and to the grieving families of those who died while protecting the public.
Among those honored during this year's proceedings was Trooper Ramirez Vasquez, a 25-year-old Odessa-based law enforcement officer who served with the Texas Department of Public Safety in Ector County. His recognition highlighted both his dedication to the people of Texas and the profound loss felt by his agency and the community he served.
Prior to donning the uniform of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Ramirez Vasquez dedicated himself to national defense as a veteran of the United States Army. Following his military career, he continued his public service by entering the state law enforcement academy, where he successfully completed his training as a member of DPS recruit class A-23 before being stationed in West Texas.
The tragic sequence of events that led to his fatal injuries occurred in 2024 as the young trooper was actively assisting with the management of a motor vehicle accident scene. Ramirez Vasquez was working along the westbound corridor of Highway 302, working to ensure traffic safety in an area where first responders were already deployed.
According to investigative findings from state authorities, Ramirez Vasquez was positioned outside of a patrol unit alongside an Ector County Sheriff’s Office vehicle while managing the hazardous roadside environment. As emergency crews worked on the highway, another motorist approached the active crash zone without appropriately adjusting to the surrounding conditions.
Crash investigators later determined that the approaching motorist was driving at excessive speeds while distracted, which directly resulted in a failure to slow down or navigate around the congested traffic flow. The vehicle violently collided with the Ector County Sheriff's Office vehicle, critically injuring Ramirez Vasquez as he performed his duties along the roadway.
In the immediate aftermath of the devastating collision, emergency medical crews worked swiftly to stabilize the critically injured trooper. Due to the extreme severity of his wounds, Ramirez Vasquez was airlifted by medical helicopter to a hospital in Lubbock for advanced trauma care, where medical personnel attempted to save his life before he succumbed to his injuries.
At the Austin ceremony, the family of Trooper Ramirez Vasquez stepped forward to accept the Star of Texas Award on his behalf. Handed directly to them by Governor Abbott, the medal stood as a permanent symbol of the state's profound indebtedness to their loved one's bravery and selfless devotion.
Department officials and state leaders paid solemn tribute to the young trooper's memory, emphasizing that his contributions to law enforcement and public security would endure well beyond his passing. Officials formally noted that his dedicated service, profound sacrifice, and enduring legacy will never be forgotten by his colleagues across the state.
Brooks Landgraff, commenting publicly following the tribute, voiced strong spiritual and community support for the trooper’s surviving relatives. Landgraff extended his prayers to the Ramirez Vasquez family along with all the other law enforcement and emergency service personnel recognized with the Star of Texas Award.
The posthumous tribute underscores the persistent dangers confronting highway patrol troopers and emergency responders who routinely operate within close proximity to fast-moving traffic. The incident highlights the severe risks caused by distracted driving and speeding near emergency response areas across Texas highways.
Through his service in the United States military and his career as a Texas state trooper, Ramirez Vasquez established a record of dedicated service that ended in the line of duty. His induction among the recipients of the Star of Texas ensures that his commitment and sacrifice will remain permanently etched in the state's history.
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