Washington State Patrol It was the Friday before Memorial Day weekend 36 years ago and Washington State Patrol Trooper Glenda Thomas was patrolling I-5 through Seattle. A call came in of a two-car crash at the NE 50th exit to the University District. Thomas responded. As the 29-year-old trooper stood by the side of the busy freeway investigating the crash, another car plowed into the back of one of the vehicles involved in the original collision. The force pushed that car into a third vehicle pinning Thomas between the two cars. She later died at Harborview Medical Center. Thomas was the first female Washington State Patrol trooper to die in the line of duty. She had been on the job just six months. She left behind two young children.