Family, Friends & Dignitaries Remember Trooper David Lane

Published on the WWNY - November 10, 2009

David Lane was remembered Monday as a wonderful brother, son and fiance, as well as a man who was dedicated to serving and protecting his community.

The funeral for the New York State Police trooper took place at Immaculate Conception Church on West Main Street in Brownville.

Lane, the son of newly elected Jefferson County Court Clerk Cheryl Lane, and her husband Stephen, was killed in a car accident on November 4.

Lane, a four-year member of the state police who worked out of the State Police Catskill station, died while driving his patrol vehicle.

"I remember his competence, his sense of humor, his ability to infuse humor into any situation, but also his professionalism and his ability to take on any task," said State Police Captain Patrick Regan, Zone 3 Troop F Commander.

Law enforcement officials from across the state and as far away as California joined Governor David Paterson, north country Senator Darrel Aubertine and State Police Superintendent Harry Corbitt in paying their respects.

"It's about the badge. It's about the patch. It's about the honor that goes with being a state police officer or a highway patrol officer," said Captain Craig Oliver of the California Highway Patrol.

According to police, Lane was traveling northbound on State Route 32 in the town of Catskill, when he attempted to pass another northbound vehicle.

The vehicles made contact and Trooper Lane's vehicle drove off the roadway and struck a telephone pole.

A 1997 graduate of General Brown Central School, Lane was also an Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"There was something special in David's heart - something that made him desire to make a difference in our world," said Father Kevin O'Brien, who presided over the memorial service.

TROOPER LANE LAID TO REST

Published in the Watertown Daily Times - November 10, 2009

BROWNVILLE - Gov. David A. Paterson and hundreds of state troopers were at Immaculate Conception Church on Monday morning for Trooper David J. Lane's funeral.

Troopers stood in rows facing the entrance to the church as Mr. Lane's casket, draped with an American flag, was carried past and into the church. Police cars lined the streets for blocks around the church, lights flashing.

Mr. Lane, a Dexter native, died Wednesday in a car accident while on duty as a state trooper in Catskill. He was a 1997 graduate of General Brown Central School, Dexter, and was the son of Stephen R. and Cheryl D. Lane, Dexter.

Gov. Paterson spoke about Mr. Lane's four years of service as a state trooper and two tours of duty with the Army, one in Afghanistan and one in Iraq.

"David comes from a family of public service. I hear everyone in the county knows the Lanes. Some say service to others is the price we pay for space on earth. David leaves us today paid in full," the governor said.

Mr. Lane's family members thanked the state troopers in attendance for their support and service, and spoke about Mr. Lane's bravery and sense of humor. Mr. Lane's brother, Stephen Jr., opened his remarks with a question.

"What do you got?" he asked.

It elicited laughter from those who knew Mr. Lane well, because it's how he would always answer every telephone call.

Mr. Lane was engaged to be married to Kelly Miller, and the two were planning a Sept. 11 wedding. It was a significant date for Mr. Lane, because Sept. 11, 2001, was the day he decided to join the military.

Mr. Lane's mother, newly elected Jefferson County Clerk, read a poem she wrote for her son. She and many people in the crowd were in tears by the end of her reading.

"To my son, David, no words I write could ever say how sad and empty I feel today. Why couldn't you stay?" Mrs. Lane read.

Harry J. Corbitt, superintendent of the New York State Police, addressed the Lane family and the troopers at the service, asking them to pray for each other. Mr. Lane's service will be remembered even when everyone who is currently a trooper has retired, he said.

"We suffer a great loss in David. We love him and miss him," Mr. Corbitt said. "Once you're in the state police, you never leave."

Mr. Lane was buried in Dexter Cemetery with military honors.

Governor and hundreds of troopers attend funeral

Published on the WSYR - November 9, 2009

BROWNVILLE, N.Y. (AP) - New York Gov. David Paterson and hundreds of state troopers joined with family members and friends in a northern New York church for the funeral of a New York state trooper killed in an on-duty crash in the Hudson Valley last week.

The services for David Lane were held Monday at Immaculate Conception Church in the Jefferson County village of Brownville, just outside Watertown in northern New York.

Paterson and Lane's relatives spoke about his life and his service in the Army and as a member of the state police.

Lane died last Wednesday in a two-vehicle collision on a road in the town of Catskill, where he was stationed. Authorities say his patrol car hit a utility pole after he tried to pass the other vehicle.

Trooper David Lane funeral arrangements

Published in the Catskill Daily Mail - November 8, 2009 2:18 AM EST

Funeral arrangements have been set for fallen Trooper David J. Lane.

Wake:

Funeral:

Trooper David Lane was fatally injured on November 4th in a two-vehicle collision on State Route 32 in the Town of Catskill.

A 1997 graduate of General Brown High School in Dexter, NY, he also served in the United States Army, "C" company, 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne, where he saw active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Trooper Lane was a dedicated four-year veteran of the New York State Police. He is survived by his parents Stephen and Cheryl lane of Dexter, NY, his brother Stephen Lane Jr. of Webster, NY and fiancée Kelly Miller of Catskill, NY.

Trooper's calling hours set for today

Published in the Albany Times Union - November 8, 2009

State Police say calling hours for Trooper David J. Lane, who was killed Wednesday in a two-car collision on Route 32 in the town of Catskill, will be 1 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. today at Johnson Funeral Home, 237 William St., Dexter in Jefferson County.

The funeral is 11 a.m. Monday at Immaculate Conception Church, 214 W. Main St., Brownville in Jefferson County.

Lane was a 1997 graduate of General Brown High School in Dexter and served in the Army's C Company, 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne, where he saw active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. The four-year veteran of the State Police is survived by his parents Stephen and Cheryl Lane of Dexter, his brother, Stephen Lane Jr., of Webster, and his fiancée, Kelly Miller of Catskill.

Trooper Lane returns home, 'sorely missed' by coworkers

Published in the Watertown Daily Times - November 6, 2009

Fellow troopers and friends of fallen state Trooper David J. Lane, Dexter, will remember him as one of the best troopers they've seen, and a lovable guy.

"Trooper Lane was both incredibly competent and likable. Everybody loved him. He was a clown. He joked around a lot," said Sgt. James Fitzmaurice, the Catskill state police station commander.

Mr. Lane, 30, worked in the Catskill barracks of the state police. He was the younger son of Stephen R. and Cheryl D. Lane, Dexter. Mrs. Lane was elected Jefferson County clerk on Tuesday. Trooper Lane was in Watertown on Tuesday night to celebrate his mother's election.

He was engaged to be married.

A 1997 graduate of General Brown High School, he served in the Army's C Company, 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, N.C. He was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan during his time in the Army. Mr. Lane has been a trooper for four years.

He had been stationed in Catskill previously and then transferred to another station. When he transferred back to Catskill six months later, his fellow troopers were elated to have him back.

"We really missed him during those six months he was gone, and then everyone was really happy to have him back. He was great to have around," Sgt. Fitzmaurice said.

Mr. Lane's body was brought to Dexter in a procession Thursday afternoon. Mourners stood on Brown Street in Dexter to watch the line of police cars escort his body to his hometown.

The mourners and supporters held umbrellas to fend off the pouring rain, and American flags to honor the trooper's service. They followed the procession to Johnson Funeral Home a few blocks away. Some then continued to Mr. Lane's parents' home on Orchard Street.

The accident occurred about 2:25 p.m. Wednesday as Mr. Lane was driving his patrol car on Route 32 in the town of Catskill. He was attempting to pass a pickup truck when the two vehicles made contact, causing Mr. Lane's vehicle to veer off the road and hit a utility pole, police said.

The driver of the pickup truck was not injured and called 911 after the crash. Mr. Lane was not responding to any emergency situations at the time, and he was not using his emergency lights at the time of the crash, according to a story from The Daily Mail newspaper in Catskill.

Further details about the accident are not available at this time, as an investigation is still being conducted, police said.

Mr. Lane will be greatly missed, said Capt. Patrick Regan, who was Mr. Lane's zone commander in Catskill.

"He was competent beyond his tenure. He was one of the best troopers we had," Capt. Regan said. "Losing him has a deep impact here. He was looked up to by other troopers. His presence is already sorely missed."

The Lane family declined to talk to a reporter Thursday.

Trooper is recalled as a 'role model'

Published in the Albany Times Union - November 6, 2009

CATSKILL -- Troopers across the state, and particularly in this Greene County community where Trooper David Lane was stationed, mourned Thursday the death of an Army veteran of two wars, who was recently engaged to be married.

Lane, 30, a native of Jefferson County, who was a trooper for four years, will be laid to rest in his hometown of Dexter, a village near Watertown.

Lane was working a 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. shift Wednesday and was northbound in his patrol vehicle on Route 32 at 2:25 p.m. when he attempted to pass a northbound pickup truck. The two vehicles made contact and Lane's car veered off the road, slamming hard into a utility pole. The driver of the truck called 911. Lane was pronounced dead at the scene by Greene County Coroner Richard Vigilo.

Lane's emergency lights were not activated and he was not the primary responder to an emergency, officials said. It was unclear if he was a secondary responder.

"We're trying just to get through and make the arrangements we need to do to give him a proper funeral and a proper wake as well as conduct the investigation and find out what happened," said Major Ed Raso, commander of Troop F, headquartered in Middletown. Reconstructing the accident could take several days to weeks, he said.

Raso knew Lane. "He was an outstanding trooper," the major said. "In talking to his zone commander and just the little bit I know about him, he was a role-model trooper."

Being 30 years old and a combat veteran, "he definitely had experience beyond his years and was definitely squared away in how he performed his job," Raso said.

Lane had planned to wed Kelly Miller of Catskill, to whom he was engaged for about four months. Her father, Raymond Miller, is a retired Greene County deputy sheriff and her cousin is Detective James Miller, spokesman for the Albany Police Department.

Lane, who lived in the village of Catskill, was a combat engineer assigned to the 307th Engineer Battlion, 82nd Airborne Division and served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was sworn in as a trooper in 2005.

The son of Cheryl D. and Stephen R. Lane of Dexter, he spent Tuesday, election night, in Watertown to celebrate his mother's win in the Jefferson County Clerk's race, according to the Watertown Daily Times.

Flags were lowered at half-staff at State Police barracks thoughout New York.

Two years ago, Greene County residents mourned the loss of another trooper. Trooper David C. Brinkerhoff, 29, of Coxsackie was killed in April 2007 in a shootout in Delaware County during a manhunt for fugitive Travis Trim. Brinkerhoff was caught in the crossfire and killed by another trooper's bullet.

Trooper, 30, from Dexter killed in crash

Published in the Watertown Daily Times - November 5, 2009

Only hours after being in Jefferson County to help his mother celebrate her election as county clerk, State Trooper David J. Lane was killed Wednesday afternoon in an accident with his patrol car in Greene County, according to state police.

Trooper Lane, 30, son of Cheryl D. and Stephen R. Lane, struck a utility pole on Route 32 in the town of Catskill at 2:25 p.m. Police said in a press release that he was northbound when he attempted to pass another northbound auto. The vehicles made contact, and his patrol vehicle went off the road and hit the pole, police said.

Further details were not provided as police continued their investigation.

Law enforcement sources said Trooper Lane was in Watertown on Tuesday night to enjoy watching the count of votes as his mother won election to be the next Jefferson County clerk.

A 1997 graduate of General Brown High School, where he excelled in sports, he served in the U.S. Army's C Company, 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, based in Fort Bragg, N.C. His service included stints in Iraq and Afghanistan.

While in Iraq early in 2004, he discovered a bomb hidden in a concrete block near his position before it could be detonated. He was quoted in the Washington Post about the incident, in which he said he saw an antenna protruding from the block.

He attended Albany State University, but was prompted to joined the Army on Oct. 1, 2001, by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, his father told the Times in 2004.

Trooper Lane graduated from the State Police Academy in March 2006, and did his field training in the Watertown zone. While on solo patrol in June 2007, he became involved in a foot chase at Dexter before arresting a suspect on nine charges, including possession of stolen property.

It was not clear Wednesday when he transferred into Troop F, headquartered at Middletown. He was assigned to the Catskill station, police said.

State trooper dies in crash

Published in the Kingston Daily Freeman - November 5, 2009

State Trooper David Lane died in this crash Wednesday afternoon on state Route 32 in Catskill. AP photo

CATSKILL - A state trooper who served with the U.S. Army in Iraq and Afghanistan died Wednesday afternoon when his patrol car struck a telephone pole, police said.

Trooper David Lane, 30, was northbound on state Route 32 about 2:25 p.m. when he tried to pass another northbound vehicle, state police said. They said the two vehicles "made contact," resulting in Lane's vehicle going off the road and striking the pole.

State police Capt. Patrick Regan said Lane was wearing his seat belt when the accident occurred near the former Carson City theme park and that there apparently were no serious injuries in the other vehicle.

Lane died at the scene.

Regan said he did not know why Lane was passing the other vehicle, and additional details about the accident were not immediately available.

Route 32 was shut down in both directions after the crash as police conducted their investigation.

Lane had worked for the state police for four years, beginning in Troop F, which includes the Catskill barracks, and then being assigned to Troop D in Oneida, in central New York, before returning to Catskill.

Lane was a Greene County resident at the time of his death, Regan said.

The Associated Press, quoting the Watertown Daily Times, said Lane was the son of Cheryl and Stephen Lane of Dexter, in northern New York, and that he served in Iraq and Afghanistan with the U.S. Army's C Company, 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division.

Lane's death marks the second time in less than three years that a trooper from Greene County has died while on duty.

In April 2007, Trooper David Brinkerhoff, 29, a Coxsackie resident, was killed in a shootout with a suspect who had holed up in a farmhouse in the Delaware County community of Margaretville. The suspect, Travis Trim, was being pursued after shooting, but not wounding, a state trooper the previous day.

An investigation of Brinkerhoff's death concluded he was killed by friendly fire as members of the state police Mobile Response Team battled Trim. Trim was found dead after the house in which he was hiding was consumed by fire.

In May 2000, two state troopers stationed at the town of Ulster barracks died in an accident on state Route 28 in West Hurley. Veteran Trooper Mike Kelly, 49, and rookie Kenneth Poormon, 22, were killed when their patrol car was struck broadside by a tractor-trailer as Kelly made a U-turn in an attempt to pursue a speeder who was going in the other direction.

Investigators said they concluded Kelly was unable to see the tractor-trailer coming up behind him because of the sun's glare.

State trooper killed when patrol car strikes pole

Published in the Albany Times Union - November 5, 2009

CATSKILL -- A 30-year-old state trooper was killed Wednesday afternoon when his patrol car veered off of Route 32 and struck a utility pole.

Trooper David Lane, who had been on the force four years and worked out of the Catskill barracks, was northbound at 2:25 p.m. when he attempted to pass another northbound vehicle, officials said.

The vehicles made contact ,and Lane's car drove off the road.

Route 32 was closed in both directions to allow for emergency vehicles and the investigation.

Trooper killed in crash from suburban Watertown

Published on the WSYR - November 4, 2009

Trooper David Lane, 30, of Dexter, was killed in a crash in eastern New York Wednesday afternoon. (State Police Photo) Catskill (WSYR-TV) - A New York State Trooper was killed in a car accident Wednesday afternoon in the Eastern New York, State Police said. The trooper is a Watertown native.

The crash happened around 2:40pm Wednesday near the intersection of Route 32 and Cairo Junction Road in the Greene County Town of Catskill.

State Police say David Lane, 30, of the Jefferson Co. Town of Dexter, was traveling northbound in his patrol vehicle on State Route 32 in the Town of Catskill, when he attempted to pass another northbound vehicle. The vehicles made contact and Trooper Lane's vehicle drove off the roadway and struck a telephone pole.

Police say Lane is a 4-year member of the State Police who worked out of the Catskill station. The Watertown Daily Times says the trooper was in Watertown on Tuesday night to celebrate his mother's victory in the Jefferson County clerk's race. The newspaper says Lane served in Iraq and Afghanistan with the Army's C Company, 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division.

Lane is Cheryl and Stephen Lane's youngest son.

Dexter is located about 10 miles west of Watertown.

In Memory of Trooper David Lane

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