Deputy Graves was working a sensitive and dangerous undercover assignment on the night of January 21, 1986. He and a passenger were traveling east on Speedway Boulevard on Deputy Graves’ motorcycle. As they approached the intersection of Speedway and Alvernon, a car turned into their path. The motorcycle struck the car in the rear passenger door and Deputy Graves was thrown to the pavement. Deputy Graves, his passenger, and a passenger in the car were taken to Tucson Medical Center and hospitalized. Deputy Graves died of his injuries two days after the accident.

The driver of the car was cited for failure to yield the right-of-way. Deputy Graves, age thirty-five, a twelve-year veteran officer, was survived by his wife, Sandy and two children, Shannon, age 10, and Holly, age 5.