Eric Ellsworth
"Service with Integrity"
A Second Generation Trooper
Trooper Eric Ellsworth was a second generation Highway Patrolman, a New Year’s Day baby, and the son of Retired Utah Highway Patrol Sergeant Ron and Marjorie Ellsworth. The Eagle Scout, Clearfield High School graduate, and brother to eight siblings was raised in Hooper Utah.
Eric began his career with the Utah Highway Patrol in 2009 and was first assigned to Green River where he spent his first few years. He eventually transferred to Section One, was assigned to work in Box Elder County, and made his home in Brigham City. Trooper Ellsworth immediately fell in love with the area and integrated himself and his family into the community.
Strength and Spirit
Trooper Ellsworth was known as a hard worker and did not want to have the reputation that he was any kind of a slacker. He was readily available and always willing to adjust his personal plans to make sure shifts were covered. It was not uncommon for him to notify his supervisor and co-workers to apologize for not taking enough calls on a busy day.
Eric was dedicated to fitness and enjoyed sharing what he had learned with others and always willing to learn more. Many that had the opportunity to go up against him in a sparring event at training would soon find out that fifty percent of his effort equaled pretty close to one hundred percent for his opponents. Many of those that had the experience to grapple with him would exit the training exercise exhausted and often humiliated. He took training seriously. It was not uncommon and fairly comical to see once empty cargo pockets full of “sunflower seeds”, as he called it, at the end of a training shoot. He would almost always leave the qualification shoots with more ammunition than he came with, not to be stored but, to be used for training on his own time at a local gun range.
Trooper Ellsworth was known for his smile and ability to lighten the mood in almost any occasion. He was a notorious jokester and found ways to not only entertain himself, but the other Troopers he was working with. He enjoyed looking for guys doing reports in their patrol cars, sneaking up on them, and pressing his face on their window until it got a reaction. Whether it was talking a shift mate into recording him splashing his patrol car through deep puddles at the Perry Port of Entry or using excessive punctuation on his reports to make sure his sergeant was actually reading them he always had a way of making sure that everyone he worked with was smiling.
A Devoted Father
Eric’s pride and joy was his family. One of the few things he had more passion for than lifting weights was spending time camping and participating in activities with his family. He loved being a husband and father. He would talk at length about the accomplishments and adventures of his young sons and wife. If he took time off for a personal hobby he would shorten his time away alone, or with friends, to spend a couple extra days with his family. He was a hero to his nieces and nephews, a great brother, and tremendous husband and father.
End of Watch: November 22, 2016
On the night of November 18, 2016 Trooper Ellsworth was providing traffic control for a low hanging power line on a two lane highway near Garland Utah. The line was high enough to allow most traffic to pass under it but would interfere with high profile vehicles. The roadway was dimly lit and shortly before 10:00 PM he noticed a southbound semi approaching the power line.
He exited his patrol vehicle to warn the truck driver of the hazard, but shortly after leaving his car he was struck by a passenger car traveling in the opposite direction. He was immediately transported to the Bear River hospital in Tremonton and air lifted to Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake a short time later. His family, co-workers, and friends held vigil night and day, but he succumbed to his injuries on November 22, 2016 while surrounded by family.
A Lasting Legacy
Trooper Ellsworth was an organ donor and continued to give even after his death. His decision to be a donor helped save another’s life and his legacy continues to have an impact on all the lives he crossed. He was posthumously awarded a Medal of Valor and was recognized by his peers for his sacrifice to the citizens of the State. His name was memorialized at the Utah Fallen Officers memorial at the Utah State Capitol and in Washington DC at the National Fallen Officers memorial in 2017.
Eric left behind his parents, siblings, his wife Janica, and boys Bennett, Ian, and Oliver. He will be fondly remembered by his family, co-workers, and anyone that had ever had contact with him.