2026-10-05 - Honoring 3 Fallen Heroes

Honoring

Trooper Bradley Ritger

Wisconsin State Patrol

EOW: Oct. 2, 2026 | Age: 29 | Tour: 8 Years

Trooper Brad Ritger succumbed to injuries sustained on September 21, 2026, when he fell from a highway overpass on I-94 in Dunn County after deploying spike strips. Troopers had located a vehicle that had fled from other officers several hours earlier. The vehicle fled a second time, and troopers pursued it along I-94. Trooper Ritger deployed spike strips and was moving to a position of cover when he fell from the bridge onto 490th Avenue below. Other officers immediately rendered aid until he was transported to a local hospital. He remained hospitalized until succumbing to his injuries on October 2, 2026. The vehicle that was being pursued stopped a short distance away due to punctured tires after hitting the spike strips, and the driver was taken into custody. Trooper Ritger had served with the Wisconsin State Patrol for five years and had previously served with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections for three years.

Honoring

Officer Brian Liles

California Highway Patrol

EOW: Sept. 28, 2026 | Age: 44 | Tour: 16 Years

Officer Brian Liles died in a motorcycle collision on State Route 99, north of State Route 190, near Tipton, around 5:11 p.m. He passed away at the scene of the crash, despite life-saving measures. Officer Liles had served with the California Highway Patrol for 16 years and was named officer of the year in 2024. Survivors include his wife, two children, his parents, and two sisters.

Honoring

Trooper Hayden Phillips

Kentucky State Police

EOW: Sept. 28, 2026 | Age: 27 | Tour: 3 Years

Trooper Hayden Phillips was shot and killed on I-65 in Warren County. Around 2:00 p.m., Trooper Phillips was shot after conducting a traffic stop of a vehicle near mile marker 38. The subject, who had a warrant for his arrest and was on probation, fled but was apprehended several hours later in Louisville and charged with the murder of a first responder. Trooper Phillips had served with the Kentucky State Police for three years and was assigned to Post 3 in Bowling Green. Survivors include his wife and three sons.

Disclaimer:

This information is supplied by the Officer Down Memorial Page (www.odmp.org) and the U.S. Fire Administration (www.apps.usfa.fema.gov).

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*The $5,000 survivor benefit is paid when a line of duty death occurs. Line of duty is defined as AFBA members who are Emergency Service Providers to include law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical services providers who are killed while involved in operations at or responding to/from the scene of an incident. If death occurs otherwise, outside of a suicide, the beneficiary will receive a $2000 benefit.

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