CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. — The memorial honoring Trooper Ronald Gordon Smith has a new home in Crystal River.
City leaders rededicated the memorial Sept. 25 at the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) property in LeGrone Park after relocating it because the memorial stood in the path of construction related to the U.S. Highway 19 widening project and the upcoming Suncoast Parkway extension.
Smith was a 28-year-old Florida Highway Patrol trooper, U.S. Marine Corps veteran and former Tallahassee police officer. He had served with the Florida Highway Patrol for only eight months when he was killed in the line of duty.
On Dec. 23, 1973, Smith was patrolling U.S. Highway 19 in Citrus County with just a few hours remaining in his shift. Near the intersection of U.S. 19 and Basswood Drive, he stopped to investigate a suspicious 1965 Chevrolet parked in a wooded area.
Inside the vehicle were two escaped felons from an Oklahoma prison work-release program. As Smith opened the rear door to wake one of the men, the suspect sat up and fired five shots, fatally wounding him.
Two nearby deer hunters witnessed the shooting and immediately intervened. After a brief gunfight, they captured both fugitives and held them until law enforcement backup arrived.
The gunman was later convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death, though the sentence was eventually commuted to life in prison.
The rededication ceremony also featured the unveiling of a new "Tribute to Our Protectors" mural created by local artist Leah Tinsley of Creative ArtNest. City officials said the memorial's new location will continue to honor Smith's sacrifice while recognizing the service of local veterans, military members and first responders.
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