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SANTAQUIN — Santaquin Police Sgt. Bill Hooser brought people together.
That message was palpable Wednesday night as more than 350 members of the small city gathered at Centennial Park in Santaquin for a vigil to remember the police officer who was killed in the line of duty earlier this week.
"Bill was an extremely active officer in the community," Santaquin Police Lt. Mike Wall said. "Even though he is no longer with us, he is still pulling together communities and still teaching others to do good."
Early Sunday, while assisting a Utah Highway Patrol trooper with a traffic stop involving a semitruck and 53-foot trailer, investigators say the semitruck driver intentionally flipped his big rig around and hit him. Hooser died at the scene. Police said the driver, Michael Aaron Jayne, 42, led police on a manhunt until he was captured in Vernal several hours later.
The last time an officer in Utah died in the line of duty was in May 2020, when Ogden police officer Nate Lyday was shot and killed while investigating a domestic disturbance call.
Santaquin police officer Tyler Moos remembered him as a "Rolodex of information."
"If you had a question, Bill was a guy to go to," Moos said.
Others echoed that sentiment.
Hayden Hansen, another Santaquin police officer, said, "He always had the right answer. Whenever you had a question, he was there to tell exactly what you needed to do and help anyone who needed it."
Santaquin police officer Jayson Shepherd smiled as he recalled, "At the time, you think he's just being hard on you ... but then when you look back, Bill was always looking out for everybody else and getting us strive to do the best thing and excel at everything we were doing."
Many of the crowd at the park Wednesday held their loved ones close as they offered support to each other and to the Hooser family.
"I can promise you that he has taught all of us back here and all of the community to continue to stand stronger and love more. I can assure we will stand up as one, and we will continue to do good and continue to be better because of what we have learned from him," Wall said.
Santaquin Mayor Dan Olson said the people at the vigil represented "only a portion of so many" who love the Hooser family. Olson talked about his love for Hooser and how he has been touched by the outpouring of love from people around the state.
"Bill loved this city, and this city loves you guys," he said.
Olson said he got choked up during the procession for Hooser on Monday. He said as the procession returned to Main Street in Santaquin, in the crowds of hundreds of people, "everybody's eyes (were) on their friend."
"I understand now that brotherhood and kinship and love for one another are the things that carry us on in life. We can't forget the Hooser family," the mayor said.
Ashley Dowd, Hooser's niece, spoke about her memories of her uncle and said it's been awe-inspiring seeing the community come together to support her family.
"You never really understand the importance of a year, a memory or a photo, until that is all you have left of someone you love," she said.
She tearfully recounted the many ways he would show his love to his wife and how he would do anything to get his daughters to smile.
"You were a man of your word, and you are already dearly missed. We hope you fly high, Bill. Thank you for being an incredible example of kindness, dignity, courage, nobility and love," Dowd said.
Dowd said many will remember him for his heroic service and sacrifice for the community, but she will remember his heroism through the love he had for his family.
The niece affectionately described how he would "display his best, and alarmingly high, female vocals. Anything to make his girls shake their heads and laugh."
Emme McDowell, the daughter of a Santaquin police officer, sang "Amazing Grace," then everyone lit candles and honored Hooser with a moment of silence.
Contributing: Andrew Adams
