Named in honor of Trooper Matthew Scott Evans #895, a member of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol from August 1999 to August 2000. On the evening of August 21, 2000, Trooper Evans was traveling westbound on Interstate 40 when he was hit head-on by a vehicle fleeing from Oklahoma City Police Officer Jeff Rominger.

The eluding vehicle entered the off-ramp from I-40 and May Avenue continuing eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-40. About 30 seconds later, while traveling in the inside lane, the fleeing vehicle struck a tractor-trailer rig that had just topped the crest of a hill. Trooper Evans, responding to another trooper’s call for assistance and unaware of the pursuit, collided with the fleeing vehicle within a second of the first impact. Almost simultaneously, Officer Rominger’s car crashed into the wreckage from the other direction and both police vehicles erupted in fire, killing both officers.

Throughout his short career Trooper Evans was known as an outspoken advocate for traffic safety and had committed his life to making Oklahoma’s roads safer for everyone.

This Memorial Award was created in 2001 to remember Trooper Matthew Scott Evans and to honor all Oklahoma Law Enforcement Officers, Deputies, and Troopers whose lives were taken in traffic collisions while protecting the citizens of Oklahoma. This award is also intended to serve as a reminder to all law enforcement officers of the importance of traffic safety and traffic enforcement in our state.