On Saturday, May 24, 1997,off duty Deputy Keith A. Fricke was working an approved extra job and was providing a motorcycle escort for a funeral procession. Sometime during the procession, Deputy Fricke had to break away from the escort in order to refuel his motorcycle. Deputy Fricke was in full uniform operating a fully marked police motorcycle. As he was returning back to the funeral procession, he was traveling northbound on Collins Road in Richmond, Texas when he was struck by a 1988 Cadillac Brougham that was traveling southbound. As Deputy Fricke approached a private drive to a coin operated car wash, the southbound vehicle began turning left directly in his path. Deputy Fricke was unable to avoid the collision and was ejected from his motorcycle. He landed approximately 38 feet from the point of impact. The impact was so severe that it knocked his helmet off his head. The driver of the Cadillac was shown at fault for failure to yield right-of-way and was cited for not having a driver’s license. A Life Flight Helicopter transported Deputy Fricke to Hermann Hospital in Houston. On June 4, 1997 he was pronounced dead as a result of his injuries. Deputy Fricke was a 12-year veteran of the Harris County Sheriff’s Department and was 38 years old at the time of his death. Deputy Fricke was the 27th deputy to die in the line of duty.