Thomas Garland Anderson was born on this date in 1900, in Davie County, to Thomas M. and Annie Anderson.
Thomas came to Winston-Salem about 1921 and worked for R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. He joined the Winston-Salem police force in September 1924 and worked as a patrolman. Later, he worked in the motorcycle division.
He was injured in 1927 while he was answering a call involving the collision of two buses on Highland Avenue. He was hurrying to the scene of the accident, on his motorcycle, when a man pulled his truck into the Highland Avenue and Eleventh Street intersection and stopped. Officer Anderson struck the truck and was thrown from his motorcycle. He broke several bones and was in the hospital for four days before he passed away from his injuries.
The driver of the truck was charged with reckless driving.
