Tooper Dennis Marriott was killed when he was struck by a passing vehicle during a traffic stop.

On June 1, 1981 at about 11:22 pm, Trooper Marriott made a traffic stop on US Route 54 south of Jefferson City in Cole County. Trooper Marriott was struck from behind after he exited his vehicle. Trooper Marriott was thrown across the hood of his patrol car and 26 feet further and rolled under the car he had stopped. The driver of the striking vehicle stopped momentarily then left the scene. The vehicle was stopped a few minutes later by the Jefferson City Police Department and the female driver was found to be intoxicated and was arrested. Trooper Marriott succumbed to his injuries at University of Missouri Columbia Health Sciences Center on June 13th. The driver was later tried and sentenced to ten years in prison on a charge of Manslaughter.

Trooper Marriott previously served in the US Army as a criminal investigator for 7 years including a 13 month tour in Viet Nam. He received a masters degree from Central Missouri State University. He was survived by his wife and four children. Interred: Memorial Park Cemetery, Columbia, MO.