Santaquin Police Department identifies officer hit and killed by semitruck driver
May 6, 2024, 2:20 PM | Updated: 5:16 pm
Image of Sgt. Billy Dean Hooser, an officer with the Santaquin Police Department that was killed in the line of duty on Sunday, May 5, 2024. (Santaquin Police Department)
(Santaquin Police Department)
SANTAQUIN, Utah — The Santaquin City Police Department identified the officer killed in the line duty on Sunday as 50-year-old Sgt. Billy Dean Hooser, of Santaquin.
Police released Hooser’s name in a news conference on Monday afternoon.
Image of Sgt. Billy Dean Hooser provided by GoFundMe.
Hooser was deliberately struck and killed by a semi-truck driver on Sunday morning. The driver was apprehended several hours later in Vernal following an extensive manhunt.
According to the department, Hooser was a Utah native with eight years of law enforcement experience, beginning his career with the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office in New Mexico until he joined the Santaquin City Police Department in 2017. Hooser was promoted from Corporal to Sergeant in February 2024.
Hooser leaves behind a wife of 29 years, his two daughters, and one granddaughter.
KSL TV chose not to name the officer prior to the press conference out of respect for the family, who wanted the name to be released by the Santaquin Police Department on Monday.
On Monday, police, highway patrol members, and other officials participated in a procession from the medical examiner’s office in Taylorsville to Santaquin. The procession arrived outside Brown Family Mortuary at 12:30 p.m. to crowds of people lining the streets to show their support.
In an exclusive interview with KSL TV, the brother of the officer said his brother paid the ultimate sacrifice for his service.
Please read the complete story from Eliza Pace at KSLTV.com.
