WSP to Honor Fallen Trooper with Emphasis Patrols

On Friday and into Saturday, the Washington State Patrol is conducting emphasis patrols in memoriam of a deceased comrade: Trooper Chris Gadd.

Gadd, 27, was assigned to Snohomish County, but the patrols, dubbed "One More Stop," will be carried out statewide.

According to a WSP press release, "Prior to the tragic incident, Trooper Gadd had messaged to his detachment members he was going to meet up with them for break after 'One More Stop.'"

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Gadd was killed last March. He was parked conspicuously on the shoulder of I-5 in Marysville, patrolling for drunk drivers, when 32-year-old Raul Benitez-Santana, of Lynnwood, came barreling down the expressway. Benitez-Santana had himself reportedly imbibed marijuana and alcohol. The WSP says he was traveling at speeds upward of 110 mph.

The impaired driver slammed into Gadd.

Benitez-Santana was ordered held on $1M bail, which was slashed by 90 percent following pleas from his family. The charges against him include vehicular homicide.

Per the Officer Down Memorial page, Gadd was a 2.5-year veteran of the WSP. He is survived by his wife and toddler-aged daughter. His father, David, is also a working WSP trooper.

Chief John R. Batiste had this to say: “Trooper Gadd was a fine young man with a big heart and passion to serve the community - a true example of the best of us. He made the ultimate sacrifice while working to make our roads a safer place."

"With this emphasis, we honor his memory by continuing his efforts to protect the community he dedicated his life to.”

Emphasis patrols begin at 4 p.m. on Friday and conclude on 5 a.m. on Saturday.