A Utah officer killed in the line of duty began his career with the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – KRQE News 13 has learned that a Utah police officer killed in the line of duty over the weekend has ties to the Four Corners. Santaquin Sergeant Bill Hooser died Sunday while investigating reports that a man was standing in the back of a tractor-trailer traveling on I-15. According to police, the driver, identified as Michael Jayne, fled from a traffic stop but made a U-turn and hit Sgt. Hooser, killing him.

The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office says Sgt. Hooser began his career with them as a reserve deputy in 2012 before joining the force as a certified deputy in 2015.

“It’s never easy to hear about it, but it’s especially devastating when it’s related to your agency. and we thought about the world of Bill and his family. They were a great part of our organization,” said Capt. Kevin Burns of the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office says they plan to send someone to pay their respects during Hooser’s funeral.