Iowa State Trooper Theodore “Ted” Benda was recently feted with a vehicle procession across the state after succumbing to injuries he suffered earlier this month while responding to an on-duty-call.
“When a police officer dies, it’s not just an agency that loses an officer — it’s an entire nation,” the Iowa State Patrol tweeted. “Today, we humbly escorted our fallen Trooper Ted Benda back to his earthly home in Waukon.”
The deadly, single-vehicle crash took place on the morning of Oct. 14, as Benda sought to assist the Clayton County Sheriff's Office in apprehending a wanted suspect traveling on Iowa Highway 51, KCCI reported.
The procession for Benda started in Ankeny early on the morning of Oct. 22 and ultimately made its way north on Interstate 35 before making a turn on Highway 9 near Hanlontown and proceeding east to his Waukon hometown.
After beginning his career with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation back in 2005, Benda joined the Iowa State Patrol in 2016, most recently serving in District 10, KCCI reported.
A 2002 graduate of Waukon High School, the 37-year-old Benda leaves behind a wife and four young children.
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