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Rep. Kahle offers testimony for advancing measure honoring fallen Michigan state trooper
RELEASE|February 18, 2020

State Rep. Bronna Kahle, of Adrian, today provided testimony and support before the House Transportation Committee on her plan to designate a portion of M-52 as the “Trooper Byron J. Erickson Memorial Highway.”

Trooper Erickson died on July 31, 1993 from injuries suffered about four weeks earlier in a vehicle crash near Tecumseh while in pursuit of a suspected auto thief.

Trooper Erickson, 36, was the 44th Michigan state trooper killed in the line of duty. He had served with the Michigan State Police for four and a half years at time of his passing and was survived by his wife and two-year-old son.

“Trooper Byron J. Erickson was a true hero and this memorial highway will recognize his dedication to protecting and defending the people of the great state of Michigan,” Kahle said when speaking to the committee. “This will be a symbol of gratitude and acknowledgement from the community for which he gave the ultimate sacrifice.”

In the years following Erickson’s death, his wife, Laurie, remarried and she and her second husband together founded Thin Blue Line of Michigan (TBLOM) – a non-profit organization which provides financial and legal assistance, funeral and college stipends, medical equipment, counseling and support for other areas of hardship to the families of injured, disabled or deceased members of law enforcement. The organization also supports the families of firefighters, dispatchers, emergency medical service personnel and corrections officers.

Although Laurie has passed away, the couple’s son, Severin, along with Laurie’s second husband, continue to help first responder families through their work with TBLOM.

The portion of M-52 that would be named for Trooper Erickson will stretch from Curtis Road on the north side of Adrian to M-50 on the south side of Tecumseh. The Michigan Memorial Highway Act was enacted in 2001 and allows for the naming of bridges and highways within the state.

Following Kahle’s testimony, House Bill 4170 was advanced overwhelmingly to the House Ways and Means Committee for further consideration.


PHOTO INFORMATION: State Rep. Bronna Kahle, of Adrian, provides testimony before the House Transportation Committee on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Kahle’s legislation, House Bill 4170, would designate a portion of M-52 from Adrian to Tecumseh as the “Trooper Byron J. Erickson Memorial Highway.”

 

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