A Utah police sergeant has been identified as the victim of a fatal hit-and-run incident involving a semi-truck driver who allegedly fled a traffic stop on Sunday.
Sergeant Bill Hooser, 50, of the Santaquin Police Department, was struck and killed by a semi-truck on Interstate 15 near Spanish Fork, Utah, on Sunday morning. Hooser was assisting a Utah Highway Patrol trooper in conducting a traffic stop when the truck driver, later identified as 41-year-old Michael Aaron Jayne, allegedly fled the scene.
Jayne's vehicle abruptly turned around and intentionally collided with Hooser's vehicle and the UHP patrol car, causing Hooser's death at the scene. Jayne then fled on foot to a nearby convenience store, where he stole another semi-truck.
Police pursued Jayne after the second stolen vehicle was recovered in Mona, Utah. He allegedly abandoned the semi-truck and stole a Ford F150 pickup truck, which he drove to Mt. Pleasant before ditching it and stealing another Ford F150.
Jayne was eventually apprehended near Vernal, Utah, after a short chase that ended in him crashing the stolen pickup truck. He was taken into custody and is facing charges related to the incident.
At a press conference on Monday, Santaquin Police Chief Rod Hurst described Hooser as a "top-notch officer" and a hero. Hooser's brother Michael expressed the family's devastation and thanked the community for their support.
Hooser had served in law enforcement for eight years, starting as an unpaid volunteer before joining the San Juan County Sheriff's Office in New Mexico and later the Santaquin Police Department. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, two daughters, and a granddaughter.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and Jayne remains in custody.
