New memorial, set up at Fort McCoy, honors Wisconsin State Patrol’s fallen heroes

A new memorial stands at the Wisconsin State Patrol Academy as a tribute to eight state troopers who lost their lives on duty.

The Wisconsin State Patrol officially dedicated the monument during a ceremony Sept. 9 at the State Patrol Academy at Fort McCoy. State leaders, family members, and former State Patrol officers attended the ceremony to pay their respects.

The memorial lists the names of eight troopers killed throughout the 83-year history of the State Patrol. All died while carrying out their duty to serve the people of Wisconsin. This is the first memorial dedicated solely in their honor.

“Law enforcement officers put our safety ahead of their own, which is truly remarkable. We are thankful every day for their sacrifices to keep our highways safe,” Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Craig Thompson said. “We know their contributions mattered. There are many who are alive and safe today because these fallen troopers were carrying out the vital mission of the State Patrol.”

The Wisconsin State Patrol, a division of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, has served the state since its inception in 1939. Nearly 500 sworn officers and additional support staff are employed to fulfill the agency’s public safety goals.

“This memorial is a daily reminder of our fallen heroes, the ones many of us knew and still mourn,” State Patrol Superintendent Tim Carnahan said. “It will serve as a somber inspiration to our next generation; the future officers who train here at the academy every year, working towards their opportunity to wear the same badge.”

Troopers honored on the memorial include:

— Trooper Donald C. Pederson: On Aug. 26, 1972, Trooper Donald Pederson, 31, and a six-year veteran with the Wisconsin State Patrol, made the ultimate sacrifice when he lost his life in the line of duty while working traffic patrol in Green Lake County. Trooper Pederson sustained fatal injuries when he was ambushed and shot by a 16-year-old he had stopped and cited earlier in the evening.

— Trooper Gary G. Powless: On May 18, 1980, Trooper Gary Powless, 31, and a one-year veteran with the Wisconsin State Patrol, made the ultimate sacrifice when he lost his life in the line of duty while working traffic patrol in Monroe County. Trooper Powless sustained fatal injuries when the patrol vehicle he was operating was struck by a tractor trailer unit that had lost control due to an equipment failure.

— Trooper Deborah M. McMenamin: On Oct. 26, 1989, Trooper Deborah McMenamin, 31, and a four-year veteran of the Wisconsin State Patrol, made the ultimate sacrifice when she lost her life in the line of duty while conducting a traffic stop in Eau Claire County. Trooper McMenamin sustained fatal injuries when she was struck by a passing vehicle while returning to her patrol vehicle after making contact with the driver of a vehicle she had stopped for a traffic violation.

— Trooper William Schoenberger: On April 22, 1993, Trooper William Schoenberger, 31, and an eight-year veteran with the Wisconsin State Patrol, made the ultimate sacrifice when he lost his life in the line of duty while working traffic patrol in Eau Claire County. Trooper Schoenberger sustained fatal injuries when his patrol vehicle was struck from behind by a passing tractor trailer as he was assisting at the scene of a vehicle fire.

— Trooper Jorge R. Dimas: On June 14, 2009, Trooper Jorge Dimas, 23, and an eleven-month veteran of the Wisconsin State Patrol, made the ultimate sacrifice when he lost his life due to injuries he sustained in the line of duty while working traffic patrol in Polk County. Trooper Dimas was seriously injured on May 9, 2009, when the patrol vehicle he was operating was struck by another vehicle as he was in the process of initiating a traffic stop.

— Trooper Trevor J. Casper: On March 24, 2015, Trooper Trevor Casper, 21, and an eight-month veteran of the Wisconsin State Patrol, made the ultimate sacrifice when he lost his life in the line of duty while attempting to apprehend a suspect in Fond du Lac County. Trooper Casper was following a vehicle driven by a suspect from a bank robbery and murder that occurred earlier in the day. Before backup could arrive, the suspect opened fire on Trooper Casper. Though wounded, Trooper Casper was able to return fire and kill the suspect before succumbing to his fatal injuries.

— Trooper Anthony J. Borostowski: On April 11, 2017, Trooper Anthony Borostowski, 34, and a two and one-half-year veteran with the Wisconsin State Patrol, made the ultimate sacrifice when he lost his life in the line of duty while working traffic patrol in Sauk County. Trooper Borostowski sustained fatal injuries when the patrol vehicle he was operating left the roadway and struck a tree.

— On Nov. 15, 2021, Master Trooper Daniel Stainbrook, 42, and a 20-year veteran of the Wisconsin State Patrol, made the ultimate sacrifice when he lost his life due to illness sustained while in the line of duty. Master Trooper Stainbrook lost his battle with COVID-19 after contracting the illness while serving the citizens of Wisconsin.

The Fallen Heroes Memorial was made possible through a partnership with the Wisconsin Troopers Benevolent Foundation.

The Wisconsin State Patrol Academy is a tenant organization at Fort McCoy. See more information at https://wsp.wi.gov/Pages/WSPA.aspx.

(Article prepared by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Office of Public Affairs.)