Wisconsin has honored State Patrol Trooper Bradley Ritger, 29, who died on Oct. 2 from injuries suffered in the line of duty in Dunn County.
On Sept. 21, Ritger put down a tire deflation device on an Interstate 94 bridge deck west of the Dunn County-Eau Claire County line during a traffic pursuit. As he moved to a position of cover, he fell from the bridge to the roadway below. He was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries on Oct. 2.
Ritger served with the State Patrol for nearly five years, working mainly in the Dunn County area, and before that he served three years with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. The State Patrol remembered him as a dedicated public servant whose professionalism, compassion and willingness to help wherever needed left a lasting mark on the public and on his fellow troopers.
After his death, the State Patrol placed a law enforcement memorial vehicle at its Northwest Region Post in Eau Claire, where community members left cards, flowers and other condolences. A public visitation was held Oct. 9 at Chippewa Valley Bible Church in Chippewa Falls, followed by a private family service on Oct. 10.
Gov. Tony Evers signed Executive Order #305 ordering the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Saturday, Oct. 10, as a mark of respect for Ritger.
The Wisconsin Troopers Benevolent Foundation has been raising money for Ritger's family, collecting nearly $60,000 to help ease financial pressure while federal line-of-duty death benefits are processed.
