PLAINFIELD, Ind. — A cross now stands on Ronald Reagan Parkway north of I-70 in honor of a 33-year-old Indiana State Police trooper who died in the line of duty in June 2023.
Aaron Smith was struck and killed by a vehicle while deploying tire-deflating devices called Stop Sticks in an attempt to end a police pursuit.
His family and fellow troopers gathered to unveil the cross Thursday night. The simple design features his name, his end-of-watch date and a trooper hat.
Sgt. John Perrine, a state police public information officer, said troopers carry the weight of Smith’s loss on their badges every day. “He lost his life protecting his community, doing something he was passionate about, and that’s working for the Indiana State Police and being a state trooper.”
Garry Smith, Aaron’s father, attended the unveiling. A former law enforcement official, Garry Smith said he is grateful for the work his son did.
“On or off-duty, he was caught helping people,” Garry Smith said. “He had a servant’s heart, and I’m proud of him for carrying on my legacy.”
After the unveiling, dozens of police cars from the Indiana State Police and the Plainfield Police Department drove past the memorial with their lights on to honor their fallen colleague.
Perrine said people do not discuss Smith’s final act of service and heroism enough. Perrine said an intern was in the car with Smith when Smith arrived at the pursuit scene.
“Instead of putting that intern in danger and putting his car in the middle of this intersection to try and stop this pursuit, Aaron pulled his car with the intern inside off to the side of the ramp,” Perrine said. “And then he ran on foot to this intersection to try and deploy Stop Sticks and stop this pursuit, knowing how dangerous it was for that intern to be in his car.”
The Smith family hopes the cross will remind locals who know Aaron’s story and sacrifice and teach those who do not.
“I’m thankful that Aaron is with Jesus now,” his father said. “Because he wouldn’t have liked life if he would’ve been able to live. He would not have been able to stand tall and be a trooper and do the servant’s work that he was cut out to do.”
