Florida Highway Patrol, Florida
End of Watch Friday, September 19, 2025
Senior Trooper Craig Gaines passed away from complications related to a leg fracture he received while providing lead security detail for the head coach of the Florida A&M Football Team on September 9, 2025.
During the game against Florida Atlantic University at the FAU Stadium, located at 777 Glades Road in Boca Raton, a player unintentionally ran into Trooper Gaines at the end of a play, fracturing his leg. While recovering from his injury, he began to feel ill and called for assistance. On September 19, 2025, despite life-saving measures, Trooper Gaines succumbed to medical complications stemming from his leg injury.
Trooper Gaines was a United States Navy veteran and had served with the Florida Highway Patrol for 17 years. He previously served with the Havana Police Department and the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office. He is survived by his wife, three children, parents, two brothers, and grandchildren.