NJFFSA16
10-24-2002, 04:05 AM
Rest in peace Mark!
Trooper killed responding to report of gunshots
SPRINGFIELD, Va (AP) - A state trooper on a motorcycle was hit
by a tow truck and killed Wednesday while responding to a report of
gunshots.
Trooper Mark Cosslett, 40, was pronounced dead at the scene of
the crash, on the right shoulder of southbound Interstate 95 in the
Springfield Mixing Bowl, at about 5:35 p.m. He and another trooper
were headed to Newington to investigate the report of gun fire.
"Certainly in this heated climate of the sniper, troopers have
been responding as if every call of shots fired could be related,"
said state police spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell. "This is a very
stressful time."
The call turned out to be unfounded.
Caldwell said the crash occurred when the tow truck driver
veered to the shoulder of the highway as traffic in front of him
slowed. Cosslett was thrown from his motorcycle. The other trooper
was in a cruiser on the shoulder behind him.
"There's no indication that the (tow truck driver) saw the
trooper or heard his motorcycle," Caldwell said, adding that
charges against the driver are pending.
Cosslett was a former Marine and a 16-year veteran of the state
police. A native of Chesterfield who lived in Alexandria, he left
behind a wife and two children, 3 and 2. He was part of the state
police motor unit. He was based out of the Springfield interchange
office, "and loved it," Caldwell said.
(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Trooper killed responding to report of gunshots
SPRINGFIELD, Va (AP) - A state trooper on a motorcycle was hit
by a tow truck and killed Wednesday while responding to a report of
gunshots.
Trooper Mark Cosslett, 40, was pronounced dead at the scene of
the crash, on the right shoulder of southbound Interstate 95 in the
Springfield Mixing Bowl, at about 5:35 p.m. He and another trooper
were headed to Newington to investigate the report of gun fire.
"Certainly in this heated climate of the sniper, troopers have
been responding as if every call of shots fired could be related,"
said state police spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell. "This is a very
stressful time."
The call turned out to be unfounded.
Caldwell said the crash occurred when the tow truck driver
veered to the shoulder of the highway as traffic in front of him
slowed. Cosslett was thrown from his motorcycle. The other trooper
was in a cruiser on the shoulder behind him.
"There's no indication that the (tow truck driver) saw the
trooper or heard his motorcycle," Caldwell said, adding that
charges against the driver are pending.
Cosslett was a former Marine and a 16-year veteran of the state
police. A native of Chesterfield who lived in Alexandria, he left
behind a wife and two children, 3 and 2. He was part of the state
police motor unit. He was based out of the Springfield interchange
office, "and loved it," Caldwell said.
(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)