Officer down, Connecticut State Police

[cop414]

Trooper First Class Aaron Pelletier was struck and killed by a truck yesterday while conducting a traffic stop on Interstate 84 East near Exit 31 in Southington.

At 2:45 p.m., Trooper Pelletier pulled over a vehicle on the right shoulder of the highway with his lights and siren activated on his cruiser. While he was speaking with the driver of the car, a truck crossed the dividing line into the shoulder lane, sideswiped his cruiser, and struck him. The truck kept driving for another five miles and ran into the woods, where he was apprehended.

Trooper Pelletier was killed instantly. His K9, Roso, was in the cruiser when it was struck, but he was not injured.

The subject was arrested and has been charged with evading responsibility of a crash causing death, illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs, failure to drive in the proper lane, second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle, failure to move over, and illegal operation of a motor vehicle without a driver's license.

Trooper Pelletier had served with the Connecticut State Police for nine years and was assigned to Troop H in Hartford. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Godspeed my brother, may you Rest In Peace.