Santaquin officer to be honored at Utah Capitol on first anniversary of his death

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Sgt. Bill Hooser, the Santaquin officer killed in the line of duty last year, was honored in the Annual Utah Police Memorial Service on Thursday where his name was engraved on the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial Wall.

According to the Santaquin Police Department, it closed its office to the public for most of the day so officers could attend the ceremony at the Utah State Capitol.

Officers, family, friends, and leaders attended the annual event where they held flag ceremonies, a service with bagpipes, and a rifle salute in honor of the 150 officers who have been killed in the line of duty in Utah, according to the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial.

This year, the event fell just days before the anniversary of Hooser’s death, and his name was engraved on the Honor Wall as part of the ceremony.

“We’re here to honor 149 names on this wall, this year sadly we’re going to add another name,” said Maureen Benson, vice president of Utah Law Enforcement Memorial. “Each name on this wall is a hero.”

On May 5, 2024, Hooser was killed by a semi-truck after initiating a traffic stop. The driver, now identified as Michael Aaron Jayne — allegedly fled from police before making a U-turn into Hooser.

Bill Hooser’s wife, Kinda Hooser, gave an emotional speech at the ceremony, reflecting on his memory and the past year without him.

“It’s hard to believe I’m standing here almost one year after Bill was taken from us. I can’t quite put into words how hard it’s been without him here. I often think about everything he’s missed out on in such a short amount of time,” she said.

The Santaquin community is honoring Hooser by wrapping city trees with blue ribbons. The tribute was done last year after his death, and the department asked for community help to do so again for the anniversary. The ribbons are still available for pickup at the police department on Thursday and Friday, despite the office’s partial closure.

If you decide to participate in wrapping a tree with a blue ribbon, the department asks that you remove it after National Police Week, which ends on May 17.

“In closing, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude. Words alone cannot convey the depth of appreciation I feel for the unwavering love and support that has helped my family and I through our darkest days. From the state level down to our beloved town of Santaquin, my heart will always belong to you,” Kinda Hooser said.