Tilted against the Howard County police memorial Monday was a mounted photo of Pfc. Scott Wheeler, 31, the second officer killed in the line of duty in the department?s history.
“It?s been many years since we?ve had to add a plaque to this,” Chief William McMahon said during a news conference Monday. “It?s not something I wanted to do under my watch.”
Wheeler, whom colleagues described as one of the county?s top traffic enforcers, was struck Saturday afternoon by a Nissan Sentra he was trying to pull over to the side of the road while working a speed-enforcement detail on Route 32 near Route 1.
He suffered serious head trauma and was flown to University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. He died early Monday morning.
Wheeler “was out there doing what we ask our officers to do each and every day, and that?s keep this community safe,” said McMahon, who since taking over last year has hoisted traffic safety to the top of his agenda, pointing to statistics that show vehicle-related deaths outnumber homicides in Howard by more than 2 to 1.
Police have not charged the driver, a 24-year-old woman whose name has not been released, but the investigation is ongoing.
By all accounts, the woman did not see Wheeler, McMahon said.
Wheeler was wearing a reflective vest, and the detail was working within clear sight lines, he said.
McMahon called Wheeler a “hero” and said he “excelled at traffic enforcement.”
His superiors named him officer of the month three times throughout his more than six years in a department of nearly 400 sworn officers.
In 2002, he was named one of the department?s top driving-under-the influence enforcers.
He also received a unit citation, and earlier this year, he was given a commendation for his work in alcohol enforcement during the 2006 Merriweather Post Pavilion concert season, police said.
Wheeler, a 1994 graduate of Old Mill High School in Millersville, had just married in September, police said.
Wheeler is also survived by his parents and brother, police said.
IF YOU GO
The viewing for Howard County Police Officer Pfc. Scott Wheeler will be held Thursday at Gary L. Kaufman Funeral Home, 7250 Washington Blvd., Elkridge. The times have not been determined.
The funeral will begin at 11 a.m. Friday at Grace Community Church, 8200 Old Columbia Road, Fulton.
The interment will be at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens, 200 E. Padonia Road, Timonium.
