Trooper Donald D. Pederson

Trooper Pederson was killed August 26, 1972 after being shot several times by a disgruntled 16-year old motorist he had cited earlier in the evening following a high speed chase. The youth found Trooper Pederson at around 12:19 a.m. and lured him down the same road he had been cited on. Trooper Pederson advised dispatch that he was responding to an accident. When he got to the location of the stopped vehicle, the youth opened fire on him, hitting him four times. After an extensive manhunt, the youth was arrested and was later convicted and sent to prison. At the time of his death, Trooper Pederson was 31 years old and had been with the Wisconsin State Patrol for 6 years. Before that, he had been a police officer in Rhinelander.

Trooper Gary G. Powless

Trooper Powless was killed May 18, 1980 when his squad car was crushed by a tractor-trailer rig that lost control when its left front tire blew out and skidded across the median. The semi pinned the squad car against the guard rail after hitting it broadside and crushed it beyond recognition. At the time of his death, Trooper Powless was 31 years old and had only been with the Wisconsin State Patrol for one year. He was married with two children.

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Trooper Deborah M. McMenamin

Trooper McMenamin was killed October 26, 1989 when she was struck by a passing motorist while talking to a motorist she had stopped for a traffic violation. She had talked with the driver and was returning to her squad car when she was hit. Despite the efforts of several officers and nurses who were at the scene, Trooper McMenamin did not survive. She attended the State Patrol Academy in 1985 and started as a trooper in the Waukesha District. She later transferred to the Tomah area and then to the Eau Claire area. Trooper McMenamin was 31 years old at the time of her death. She was married (her husband is an Executive Officer in State Patrol) and had a son from a previous marriage.

Trooper William Schoenberger

Trooper Schoenberger died April 22, 1993 from head injuries sustained on April 17, 1993 when his squad car was struck from behind by a semi-tractor trailer. Trooper Schoenberger was on the scene of a car fire at the time and had positioned his car in the traffic lane to protect fire department personnel. Trooper Schoenberger joined the Wisconsin State Patrol in 1984, and spent all of his 8-1/2 years in the Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls area. At the time of his death, he was 31 years old and was married with one daughter.

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