Sgt. Bill Hooser Death – Santaquin Police Sgt. Bill Hooser tragically lost his life after being struck by a tractor-trailer driven by a suspect who fled the scene, hitting the officer and two patrol cars on Interstate 15 in Utah. Hooser was fatally injured on Sunday while responding to reports of an individual riding on the back of a semi-trailer traveling northbound on I-15 in Santaquin.
Upon locating the semi-trailer just before 6:30 a.m., Hooser and a Utah Highway Patrol trooper initiated a traffic stop. The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Michael Aaron Jayne, then reversed in the wrong direction, striking Hooser and the patrol vehicles.
Afterwards, Jayne fled on foot and later stole a white Ford truck. Following a pursuit in the Vernal area, Jayne crashed the truck and was apprehended by law enforcement. Residents in the vicinity witnessed Jayne’s arrest, with police officers seen attempting to detain him in a ravine along Highway 191.
The Fitzgerald family, who observed the events unfold, expressed their sorrow over the incident and emphasized the lasting impact it will have on the community.
Hooser, survived by his wife, two daughters, two son-in-laws, and a granddaughter, was honored with a procession on Monday as his body was returned to Santaquin.
