By WESLIE STRATTON
Moapa Valley Progress
Jeff Jones, a Logandale-raised Highway Patrol Trooper for the state of Utah, is being recognized for his role in helping an elderly woman make it from Panaca to Ogden, Utah on Dec. 5
Helen Smith (87) was traveling to Ogden for what was expected to be a final visit with her ailing son. Jones said he pulled Smith over just north of Fillmore, Utah on a routine traffic stop.
“She told me she was trying to get to her son in Ogden because he was gravely ill and wasn’t going to make it through the night,” Jones said.
He said that he gave Smith a warning and explained the law to her.
“I told her I’d turn my lights off so she could see to get back on the road,” he said. “She put it in reverse and floored it into me.”
After his car was struck Jones determined that it would be unsafe for Smith to continue traveling alone. To solve the issue he had her car towed to a safe location, allowed her to ride in his car and transported her to the county line where another trooper was waiting to pick her up.
“We do it routinely with paperwork so I figured it couldn’t be too bad,” Jones said of the shuttle service he offered Smith.
“I called a guy in the next county that I knew and then had to call dispatch,” he said of the procedure. “They weren’t sure what to do.”
Eventually it was determined that Smith would need to be transported via Utah Highway Patrol through five districts to reach her destination.
Jones said that Smith was able to make it on time to visit with her son.
Jones’ sister Jenna Rhude, of Logandale, said that this helpful behavior is something that is characteristic of her brother.
“He is a problem-solver,” she said. “He would help anyone in a heartbeat.”
The only girl in the family, with three brothers in law enforcement, Rhude said that all of her brothers share the positive attributes of caring and helpfulness.
According to Rhude, highway patrol officers are prohibited from changing a tire while in uniform. She said that on one occasion Jeff came across a woman at a gas station with small children in the car. She was struggling with a flat tire so Jeff parked his patrol car, called in that he was taking his lunch, changed out of his uniform and assisted the woman in changing her tire before changing back into uniform and going back on duty.
“He was always very kind,” she said of Jeff.
Jeff graduated from Moapa Valley High School in 1994 and has been away from the valley for about 13 years. He is the son of Suzie Jones of Logandale and the late Kevin Jones.
2 thoughts on “All In The Line Of Duty”
I spent many years with the highway patrol and changed a lot of tires in full uniform. This must be something new, that troopers cant change a tire in uniform. If so time for a change of commissioner and Colonel or whoever came up with that ridiculous policy. Troopers are public servants and should do anything they can to assist the public in getting on their way when in distress. One of my trainers told me one time that “this job is 95% public relations and 5% enforcement” I wish more would look at it that way and I think they are. Our fines have gone down in many areas which means officers maybe are educating versus hammering. I hope thats the case. Be safe this holiday season everyone and reach out and help each other and Troopers if that is a policy violate it, sometimes policy should be.
It is not against our policy to change a tire in uniform. Our Troopers do it often and we expect it. Don’t know where the misinformation comes from. Keep up the great work Jeff.