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Published in the Buffalo News - January 27, 2010
Two days ago, at Trooper Jill E. Mattice's wake, her aunt and pastor began talking about two cherished items inside the Cheektowaga native's casket:
Her "Boo-Bear," a doll from her childhood, and the State Police badge she wore on the final day of her life.
"Symbolically, these two items represent bookends, representing the beginning and the end of her life here with us," Pastor Bea Radakovich of Buffalo Covenant Church said at Mattice's worship service Tuesday.
For almost two hours in Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church in Clarence, nine speakers filled in the intervening memories they had of Mattice, from the time she first hugged her "Boo-Bear" until her last days as a state trooper.
The pastor called them "precious memories that for many years will comfort us and make us smile."
The former Jill Farrar, 31, became the first female State Police officer to die in the line of duty when she was killed in a traffic accident last Wednesday.
Tuesday's service was an impressive show of love and support, as Gov. David A. Paterson joined the "long gray line" of more than 500 State Police officers and hundreds of other officers from across the country in saying their final goodbyes.
As mourners entered the church, they walked through an honor guard formation: two lines of 40 troopers each. Outside were all the trappings of a hero's funeral, with flashing police lights, fire truck ladders raised in a "V" formation, the State Police Pipes and Drums Unit and lines of police officers from as far away as California, Texas and Florida.
A crowd of about 1,500, dominated by the large police presence, sat through an almost two-hour worship service, listening to the words of speakers ranging from Paterson and State Police Superintendent Harry J. Corbitt to a childhood friend who made snow angels with her as a little girl.
Paterson paid tribute to the "long gray line," which he said has distinguished itself since 1917.
"What makes them extraordinary," the governor said, is that "for every waking hour, they are willing to put themselves in peril to protect the citizens of this state."
Sometimes, he added, troopers suffer the same fate that befalls other citizens, such as being killed in a traffic accident. How Mattice died, Paterson hinted, doesn't take away from her status as a hero.
"We have to remember that she is one of those heroes, that she was willing to face a different kind of end, if [someone] needed her help," he said.
Speakers at the worship service painted a portrait of Mattice: as a courageous trooper; as an athlete who played sports with ease and a sense of fairness; as a woman who could be tough as teeth or gentle as a lamb in her job; as a practical joker and a young woman who knew how to have a good time; as a woman with a big smile and bubbly personality; and as a loving family and church member.
"Jill was an individual whom we all loved dearly," Maj. Kevin G. Molinari, the Troop C commander, said before the funeral. "She treated everyone [with whom] she came into contact ... with dignity, kindness, compassion and respect."
Corbitt, the State Police superintendent, pointed out that many people's lives end with a period, marking the end. But Mattice's life ended with a semicolon, he said, with her spirit living on.
The superintendent quoted an African proverb: "As long as one lives in your heart, they never die. ... To the State Police, Jill will always live."
Sgt. Mark Barbera, a colleague from the State Police barracks at Oneonta, told a story that revealed both Mattice's courage as a trooper and her goofy, practical-joker side.
Several years ago, Barbera and Mattice stopped a vehicle driven by a burly, snarling giant whom Barbera kiddingly described as about 6-feet-10 and 500 pounds.
Barbera sounded as if he was quaking in his boots, before Mattice walked up behind him, showing him she had his back.
"You're hot," the suspected drunken driver told Mattice. When Barbera scolded the man about being disrespectful, Mattice took over the situation, administered the field-sobriety tests, handcuffed the man and read him his Miranda rights.
About half an hour after the two troopers resumed routine patrol, as Barbera was praising his young colleague, his cell phone rang, and the caller said, "Hey, when are we going out? You're hot."
"Gotcha," Mattice told Barbera, with a big smile. She apparently had given the driver the cell-phone number.
Mattice was killed when her police cruiser collided with a tractor-trailer in Otsego County last week. The accident occurred as she was returning to the Oneonta barracks from her assignment as a school resource officer.
She was an accomplished athlete who played volleyball, basketball and softball at Cleveland Hill High School, where she graduated in 1996. Four years later, she graduated from Brockport State College.
Mattice became a trooper in 2003, completing her field training at the Clarence barracks. At the time of her death, she was one of roughly 400 women among the 4,800 State Police officers.
Near the end of Tuesday's service, Radakovich provided the gist of the personal portrait of Mattice that the speakers' words had painted in the huge sanctuary:
"From everything we've heard," the pastor said, "heaven is a lot more fun and a lot better-looking now that she's there."
Published on WIVB - January 27, 2010
A day of tears and reflection as a fallen State Trooper from western New York is laid to rest. Loved ones, colleagues and Governor David Paterson gathered in Clarence to celebrate the life of Trooper Jill Mattice.
There's a tight bond among police officers, but you really see it in times like this. Troopers, from as far away as California, gathered in Clarence to remember Trooper Mattice.
This is how law enforcers honor their own. Hundreds of State Troopers and police officers stood at attention as a State Police Honor Guard carried the casket of Trooper Jill Mattice into the church. Inside, Members of Troop C lined the Atrium in honor of their fallen comrade.
Major Kevin Molinari, Troop C Commander, said, "She treated everyone with dignity. Respect. Kindness. Even those who were under arrest, she allowed them to maintain their dignity."
The 31-year-old Cheektowaga native became the first female State Police officer to die in the line of duty when she was killed in a traffic accident. It occurred last Wednesday as she was returning to the Oneonta barracks from her assignment as a school resource officer. During the Memorial Service, Governor David Paterson called her a 'true hero.'
"Whenever she saw situations where she saw the need to help, she tried to give it. Whenever there was wrongdoing, she tried to stop it," said Paterson.
Supt. of NYS Police Harry Corbitt says her service to young people is her legacy.
"These children that she interacted with on a daily basis will remember her forever," said Corbitt.
Trooper Mattice's grieving husband, Troy, her parents, and brother sat in the front row. Laughter filled the church when a fellow trooper recalled her great sense of humor. An emotional moment came when her best friend shared memories of the girl she grew up with.
Her friend Rachel Williams said, "We had tons of sleepovers and tried on hundreds of outfits. We'd fall asleep holding hands because we thought we'd have the same dreams if we did. I never told anyone that before."
Trooper Mattice grew up in the Buffalo Covenent Church. Her pastor offered mourners comfort via scripture. Brother Gregory said let her death be a reminder.
Brother Gregory said, "I think she would ask members of NYS Police to please be careful."
The somber tribute continued after the service. A strong show of respect for a dedicated Trooper who won't be forgotten.
This spring, Trooper Mattice's name will be etched in stone at Empire Park Plaza in Albany and at the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Published on News 10 Now - January 27, 2010
CLARENCE, N.Y. -- New York State Troopers stood shoulder to shoulder as the flag-draped casket holding Trooper Jill Mattice was carried into the church. One by one, hundreds of troopers and law enforcement officials from across the country paid their respects to a fallen comrade.
"I just remember her smiling because she was constantly smiling. No matter what the situation she was involved in," said Major Kevin Molinari of the New York State Police.
Family and friends recalled Trooper Mattice's bubbly personality and her love of life and family.
"I think back to that tiny sweet baby that I held and rocked and how proud I am, along with her parents, Karen and Jeff, of the wonderful, strong and outstanding woman that she became," said Mattice’s aunt, Marge Accardi.
She was remembered as an accomplished student and a strong athlete,all qualities that helped her move on to a successful career with the state police.
"There was something deep within her that compelled her to protect those she loved. So it didn't surprise me one bit when she told me she wanted to be a state trooper," said Mattice’s friend, Rachel Williams.
Trooper Mattice was the first woman in New York State to die while on duty. The 31-year-old Cheektowaga native was killed while driving home from her job as a school resource officer last week. Her police cruiser collided with a tractor trailer.
Governor Paterson shared his condolences and thanked her for her years of honorable service.
"From Tonawanda all the way to Oneonta, her life was filled with success on the highway patrol, protecting our schools and being just a good neighbor, friend and family member to everyone," said the Governor.
"As we go through grief at the end of the hall there is acceptance. And whenever that end comes for this family, you'll find a person in a gray uniform, with a purple tie and a Stetson that will be there with you. Jill's legacy with the state police will never die," said New York State Police Superintendent Harry Corbitt.
Published on WIVB - January 26, 2010
State Troopers from across New York have gathered Tuesday, to say their final goodbyes to one of their own.
The service got underway around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, and troopers from as far away as Ohio and California arrived hours earlier to pay their respects, to a woman who touched many lives.
The scene outside of Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church was a long stretch of gray, New York State Troopers took up the first few lines. Then, representatives from law enforcement agencies all over western New York, New York State and beyond.
It was a somber scene when the procession arrived. State Troopers carried her flag-draped casket into the church, which was lined with Troopers from Troop C, her grieving husband and parents followed close behind.
Mattice was killed last week when her vehicle drifted into an oncoming lane, and struck a tractor trailer. The Cheektowaga native had just left a school in central New York, where she served as a resource officer when the crash occurred.
She is being remembered Tuesday morning as a wonderful woman, who epitomized what a trooper should be.
Major Kevin Molinari said, "She treated everybody with dignity, and respect, and with kindness, even those whom she had to place under arrest. She still allowed those individuals to maintain their dignity."
Published on WIVB - January 26, 2010
Hundreds of state troopers attended a funeral service for one of their own this afternoon.
Cheektowaga native Jill Mattice was laid to rest Tuesday in Clarence following a celebration of life, at Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church.
Mattice died in a car crash while on duty in central New York last week.
"Jill was just a wonderful, warm human being. She had a bubble personality, always had a smile on her face," said Troop C Commander, Major Kevin Molinari.
The 31-year-old joined the New York State Police in 2003. She recently served as a school resource officer for two school districts in central New York. She was loved by students and faculty.
"She touched the lives of every kid in my school. We're heartbroken. She was just a wonderful young lady," said Gordon Daniels, Superintendent of Franklin Central School District.
Mattice was a graduate of the Cleve-Hill School District in Cheektowaga.
While there she played volleyball, basketball, and softball.
Published in the Buffalo News - January 26, 2010
Gov. David A. Paterson today joined the "long gray line" of more than 500 state police officers and hundreds of other officers from around the country in saying their final goodbyes to Trooper Jill E. Mattice.
A crowd of about 1,500, dominated by the huge police presence, sat through an almost two-hour "worship service" inside Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church in Clarence.
About 10 people, ranging from Paterson to Mattice's childhood friend who made snow angels with her as a little girl, shared stories and tributes about Mattice.
The former Jill Farrar, a 31-year-old Cheektowaga native, became the first female state police officer to die in the line of duty when she was killed in a traffic accident last Wednesday.
Paterson paid tribute to the "long gray line," which he said has distinguished itself since 1917.
"What makes them extraordinary, for every waking hour, they are willing to put themselves in peril to protect the citizens of this state," the governor said.
Sometimes, he added, state troopers suffer the same fate that befalls other citizens, such as being killed in a traffic accident. How Mattice died, Paterson suggested, doesn't take away from her status as a hero.
"We have to remember that she is one of those heroes, that she was willing to face a different kind of end, if [someone] needed her help," he said.
Speakers at the worship service painted a portrait of Mattice as an athlete who played sports with ease and a sense of fairness; as a courageous trooper; as a woman who could be tough as nails or gentle as a lamb in her job; as a practical joker and a young woman who knew how to have a good time; as a woman with a big smile and infectious personality; and as a loving family and church member.
"Jill was an individual whom we all loved dearly," Maj. Kevin Molinari, the Troop C commander, said of Mattice before today's funeral. "She treated everyone she came into contact with with dignity, kindness, compassion and respect."
As mourners entered the Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church late this morning, they walked through an honor guard formation, in between two lines of 40 troopers each. Outside were all the trappings of a hero's funeral, with flashing police lights, firetruck ladders raised in a "V" formation, the State Police Pipes and Drums Unit and lines of police officers from as far away as California, Texas and Florida.
Mattice, 31, was killed when her police cruiser collided with a tractor-trailer in Otsego County. The accident occurred as she was returning to the barracks of the state police at Oneonta from her assignment as a school resource officer.
Mattice was an accomplished athlete who played volleyball, basketball and softball at Cleveland Hill High School, where she graduated in 1996. Four years later, she graduated from Brockport State College.
Mattice became a trooper in 2003, completing her field training in the Clarence barracks.
Near the end of the lengthy service, Pastor Bea Radakovich, from Mattice's Buffalo Covenant Church, summed up the gist of the portrait painted in the huge sanctuary:
"From everything we've heard [today], Heaven is a lot more fun and a lot better looking now that she's there."
Published in the Oneonta Daily Star - January 26, 2010
CHEEKTOWAGA _ "We want you to know how proud we are of the person you have become, and that you will always be our 'Little Angel.' "
Those words by the parents of the late state police at Oneonta Trooper Jill E. Mattice are from the dedication in their daughter's yearbook when she graduated from Cleveland Hill High School in Cheektowaga in 1996.
Her parents, Jeff and Karen Farrar, requested privacy for the family as they hold a funeral for their daughter today at 11 a.m. at Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church at 8445 Greiner Road in Williamsville.
Mattice's family includes brother Nate, also from the Cheektowaga area, and her husband, Troy Mattice, of Oneonta. The couple had no children.
Interment will follow at White Chapel Memorial Park at 3210 Niagara Falls Blvd. in Amherst.
Mattice was the first woman to die in the line of duty with state police. Her patrol car drifted into oncoming traffic while heading east on state Route 23 about two miles from the village of Morris. Her vehicle sideswiped a tractor-trailer, and she died instantly, troopers said.
The cause of the accident still is under investigation. Mattice was with the state police for 61/2 years.
Mattice's high school basketball coach and biology teacher Glen Graham said the words in the yearbook were "poignant" for teachers to read after learning about her death.
She was also his student in honors biology as a sophomore and Advanced Placement biology in her senior year, he said, adding that getting the news "was really tough."
In hindsight, he said inscription only confirmed his impression of her parents as "good and well-balanced people.
"They never would have overlooked the fact that they were given a blessing," Graham said. When they wrote the dedication, "they may have realized you never know what is going to happen in life."
Mattice was an outstanding student, and "she was very aggressive on the court," he said.
"She was a good defender who was very unselfish," Graham said. "She was tough as nails and always showed leadership."
He wrote a letter of recommendation for her application to the state police.
When she told him about her chosen career, "It sounded like a great combination for her and the state police," he said. "She always loved to serve her community."
Patricia Krzesinski, a former school history teacher of Mattice, agreed that Mattice was "an ideal student" with "so many wonderful qualities."
Although she set high standards for herself, "she had fun at whatever she did," Krzesinski said.
She was also "one of our outstanding athletes," playing on the school's basketball, volleyball and softball teams.
"She had an outgoing, friendly personality" that students and staff enjoyed being around, Krzesinski said.
Mattice was returning to the Oneonta barracks _where she was stationed _ from her assignment as school resource officer at Unadilla Valley Central when the accident occurred. She divided her time between Unadilla Valley and Franklin Central School districts, where officials previously said she was a friend and mentor to students. Both schools will be represented at the funeral where thousands are expected, officials said.
Thousands attended the wakes held Sunday and Monday at Amigone Funeral Home in Tonawanda, funeral director Ed McGrew Jr. said.
There will be delegations from all 10 troops that are part of the state police, Troop C public information officer Nelson Torres previously said.
There will also be members of police agencies from many states in the country and Canada, McGrew said, adding that he was planning for more than 5,000 people at the church.
"They do it out of respect for a fallen comrade," he said. "She touched a lot of people's lives."
Among those attending is Oneonta Police Chief Joseph Redmond.
There will be at least seven firefighters and nine police officers at the funeral from Oneonta, Redmond said. In these types of situations, people from uniformed services nationwide attend, he said, not only out of respect for the fallen, but also in support of the family and department for which he or she worked.
Redmond said he knew Mattice through her work as a trooper helping the Oneonta police on different details throughout her time in the area.
"She was genuinely a nice person," he said.
Published onWICZ TV - January 23, 2009
Funeral arrangments are now finalized for New York State Trooper Jill Mattice.
Police are still investigating the cause of the accident that resulted in her death,
Mattice died Wednesday afternoon after her state police cruiser drifted across Route 23 in the Town of Morris and hit a tractor trailer going in the opposite direction.
She is the first female New York State Trooper to die while in the line of duty.
Mattice was 31-years-old, and a six-year veteran of the State Police.
Her wake is this Sunday and Monday in Tonawanda.
The funeral is Tuesday in Williamsville. The burial is at White Chapel Memorial Park in Amherst, New York.
Published in the Oneonta Daily Star - January 22, 2009
The accident that killed state police at Oneonta Trooper Jill E. Mattice, 31, on Wednesday, occurred when she was returning to the barracks after working at Unadilla Valley Central School, according to state police Troop C commander Major Kevin Molinari.
She was the school resource officer at Unadilla Valley and Franklin Central School.
The comments came during a press conference that was held at Troop C headquarters in Sidney to discuss the incident. For reasons still being investigated, at about 2:50 p.m., she was driving her police car east on state Route 23 in Morris, about 2 miles from the village, Molinari said.
The vehicle drifted into the westbound lane and struck the tractor-trailer, being driven by Frank Saggese, 33, of West Oneonta, he said.
It was owned by Seward Sand and Gravel in Oneonta, and the driver was not injured, Molinari said.
The driver received several vehicle and traffic tickets because its load was above permitted levels, but that in no way contributed to the accident, Molinari said.
Saggese could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Paul Beisler, vice president of Seward Sand, said, "we offer our sympathies for all concerned," but he did not want to discuss the tickets.
The driver appeared to be trying to avoid the accident when it occurred, Molinari said.
The car struck the vehicle on the front bumper and two places on the trailer before going off the shoulder of the road, he said.
Speed did not appear to be a factor, Molinari said.
At the autopsy conducted at Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton on Thursday, Dr. James Terzian determined she died instantly of multiple traumatic injuries, said Molinari.
Molinari said the investigation was continuing to determine why she drifted into the oncoming lane. The autopsy ruled out drugs, and investigators were waiting for alcohol tests, though that was not suspected, he said.
She had a cell phone in the vehicle with her and that is being looked at as a possible cause, "along with a number of other things," Molinari said.
"At this point we haven't eliminated anything, whether it's environmental, mechanical, driver inattention," he said.
Troopers did not say how long the investigation could last.
She was recently married and leaves behind a husband, Troy Mattice, of Oneonta _ there were no children, troopers said.
Her parents, Jeff and Karen Farrar, and brother Nate Farrar all live in Cheektowaga, where she grew up, Molinari said.
She was the first female state police officer to die in the line of duty in the state and she will receive full honors at her funeral, he said.
"Jill was just a wonderful, warm human being," Molinari said. "She had a bubbly personality and always had a smile on her face."
She was "a friend and a mentor" to the students she worked with, Molinari said. As such, she was not only a member of "the state police family," but a part of the school districts that are also "grieving," he said.
Immediate family could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
Mattice was a 1996 graduate of Cleveland Hill High School, where she was an accomplished athlete, active in volleyball, basketball and softball, according to a report by WIVB in Buffalo.
She is the sister-in-law of trooper Jason Mattice, who is with the state police special operations team and is not involved with the investigation, said Troop C public information officer Nelson Torres.
Torres said she had been with the state police for six-and-a-half years. After she completed her 26 weeks of training, she was assigned to her "home troop," Troop A in Batavia, before being assigned to Oneonta, he said. After a year of road patrol, she worked as a school resource officer. He did not know her prior assignments but she had been with Franklin and Unadilla Valley schools for about two years, a school official said.
The funeral will be held in Buffalo on Tuesday, Molinari said, with calling hours on Sunday and Monday. Plans are still being finalized by the family, he said. There will be a local memorial at a later time, he said.
Troopers asked anyone with information about the crash to call 561-7400.
Published in the Press & Sun-Bulletin - January 21, 2010, 8:25 pm
SIDNEY -- The first female New York state trooper was killed in the line of duty when her patrol car drifted across the center line of Route 23 and collided with a westbound tractor-trailer, state police said Thursday.
Trooper Jill E. Mattice, 31, of Oneonta, a six-year veteran, was returning to the Oneonta barracks at 2:50 p.m. Wednesday when the crash occurred near the Town of Laurens in Otsego County.
According to the preliminary investigation, Mattice was in the eastbound lane when for unknown reasons she crossed the center line at a slight curve in the road. Her car then sideswiped the westbound tractor-trailer, Troop C State Police Maj. Kevin C. Molinari said.
"The collision resulted in her immediate death," he said.
Lourdes Hospital Pathologist Dr. James Terzian determined the cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma.
The tractor-trailer, driven by Frank M. Saggese, 33, of West Oneonta, was carrying portable gravel screeners. He was ticketed for carrying a load too heavy for his certification, but the truck's weight had nothing to do with the cause of the crash, Molinari said.
"I know he took what evasive action he could," Molinari said.
The speed limit was 55 mph, but speed was not a factor based on interviews with people who witnessed the crash, Molinari said. He also said drug screening came back negative, but police haven't ruled out the possibility that the trooper may have been using a cell phone or texting at the time of the crash.
"This is part of the deal," Molinari said. "Accidents can happen to any of us."
Mattice, originally from Cheektowaga in western New York, was a school resource officer in the Franklin school district in Delaware County and Unadilla Valley school district in Chenango County. She had just completed her shift.
Her zone commander, Rodney W. Campbell, held back his emotions as he said that Mattice was well liked by all her peers and had recently married.
"Lot of emotions going on at the station over there. We have our employee-assistance program over there talking to the troopers, talking to the family," Capt. Rodney Campbell said. "It's just a real sad situation."
Any witnesses who have information are asked to call state police at (607) 561-7400.
Published in the Evening Sun - January 21, 2010
MORRIS – State Trooper Jill E. Mattice, 31, was killed in a head-on collision with a tractor trailer at about 2:50 p.m. Wednesday on state Route 23 in the Town of Morris.
State Police investigators said Mattice was traveling east on Rt. 23 when she was involved in a collision with a westbound tractor trailer being operated by F.M. Saggese, 33, of West Oneonta.
Police have not released any further information about the accident and have referred all questions regarding the incident to a press conference scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at Troop C Headquarters in Sidney.
Mattice was a six and a half year veteran of the State Police and served as the School Resource Officer for the Unadilla Valley Central Schools in New Berlin and the Franklin School Districts in Otsego County since 2006.
Just hours before her fatal crash, she was meeting with elementary students at Unadilla Valley, in one of the many roles she performed at the district, said High School Principal Frank Johnson, who shared an office with Mattice. Her duties at the school brought her to the district a “few times” a week where she aided teachers in the legalities of dealing with certain school issues and provided support to students seeking aid, even teaching lessons in the classroom, he said.
Published on WICZ TV - January 21, 2010
"I think what you all need to know...and this is not a cliche...Jill was just a wonderful, warm human being," said Maj. Kevin Molinari with the New York State Police.
Colleagues of New York State Trooper Jill Mattice are trying to determine what caused her to drift into the path of an oncoming tractor trailer along State Route 23 on Wednesday near the Town of Morris.
"At this point, we haven't eliminated anything, whether it's environmental, mechanical, driver inattention," said Molinari.
State police say drug tests from the autopsy are negative. Texting remains a possiblity.
"It's something that we're looking at," said Molinari. "We know that she does have a cell phone and she did have one in the vehicle with her."
Officers say Mattice was on her way home from her job as the school resource officer at Unadilla Valley Central School.
The district says: "Mattice had the uncanny ability to be very tough, when necessary, and instantly compassionate when needed...She will be remembered as a shining light that put her students and her school first."
The principal of Franklin Central School also says her loss is being taken hard.
"She was just a tremendous, tremendous asset. The kids just adored her, faculty members adored her. She was just a person that could reach out to anybody," said principal Jason Thomson.
Mattice will be remembered as the first female state trooper to die in the line of duty.
To her fellow troopers, she was family.
"Lot of emotions going on at the station over there. We have our employee assistance program over there talking to the troopers, talking to the family," said Capt. Rodney Campbell.
Published on FOX 5 NY - January 21, 2010
1st female trooper killed in line of duty
MYFOXNY.COM - A New York state trooper killed in a car crash Wednesday is the agency's first woman to die in the line of duty, officials said.
Trooper Jill E. Mattice, 31, died when her cruiser collided with a tractor trailer on Route 23 in Morris, Otsego County. She was on her way back to the state police barracks in Oneonta from her assignment as a school resource officer.
"Her community was enhanced by her service; her State is humbled by her sacrifice," Gov. David Paterson said in a statement. "On behalf of all New Yorkers, it is with profound gratitude for her service that I offer my deepest condolences to her family, friends and colleagues."
The accident was a side-impact collision, according to police. She died at the scene.
Mattice, a native of Cheektowaga, a suburb of Buffalo, had been with the state police for almost seven years.
Published on News 10 Now - January 21, 2010
CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. -- Coach Glen Graham leafs through a 1996 yearbook at Cleve-Hill High School, remembering Jill Mattice.
"We have a picture of Jill here, probably after recovering a loose ball. She was such a hustler on the court,” said Graham.
Graham was Mattice's varsity basketball coach and honors biology teacher her senior year. She was known as her maiden name then, Jill Farrar.
Not only was she a starter for her basketball team, she was also on the varsity softball and volleyball teams.
"She was just a hard worker, very bright, funny, just someone who was nice to be around, she came from an outstanding family, and she represents the best of what a community has to offer,” said Graham.
Whether Mattice was in the classroom or on the court, Coach Graham said you always knew she'd bring her best. He kept in touch with her even after she graduated.
"I remember interacting with her and speaking with her on the side about her future, she was excited about becoming a state trooper and serving the community here in New York State," said Graham.
There are still a few faculty on staff who were at the school when Jill passed through the halls. They spent the day looking back on the time they had with her.
"The conversations we are hearing is that she was a phenomenal student, a very talented athlete and very well respected and regarded by everyone," said Cleve-Hill Superintendent Dr. Sharon Huff.
Even though it's been more than a decade since Mattice attended Cleve-Hill High School, the school community is coming together to plan some kind of memorial for her.
"I think it's always good if you can remember the people who came before and were successful, and we'll all miss her," said Graham.
Published on News 10 Now - January 21, 2010
Troop C and two school districts are mourning the loss of a State Police officer killed Wednesday afternoon in Otsego County. Jill Mattice, 31, died when her patrol car ran into a tractor trailer in the Town of Morris. She worked as a school resource officer and Thursday, we learned more about the woman behind the uniform. Our Neil St. Clair joined us from the Troop C headquarters in Sidney.
OTSEGO COUNTY, N.Y. -- We're learning more about the death of a New York State Trooper in Otsego County.
Police say Jill Mattice, 31, was killed when her patrol car drifted into the oncoming lane and hit a tractor trailer on Route 23 Wednesday afternoon. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The crash happened after Mattice was leaving her job as a School Resource Officer for the Unadilla Valley Central School District.
Investigators are still working to piece together what led up to the crash, but at this point they say speed does not appear to be a factor. They do say that the tractor trailer driver was not at fault.
Mattice is the first female trooper to be killed in the line of duty. She leaves behind a husband, a brother and her parents.
Mattice's funeral will be held with full honors in her native Cheektowaga.
Published in the Press & Sun-Bulletin - January 21, 2010
New York Trooper Jill E. Mattice, 31, was killed Wednesday afternoon in Otsego County in a collision with a tractor-trailer, troopers said.
Mattice was stationed at Troop C’s Oneonta barracks and was a school resource officer in the Franklin school district in Delaware County and Unadilla Valley school district in Chenango County, said Trooper Nelson Torres, communications officer for Troop C.
The trooper was traveling east on Route 23 when her patrol vehicle collided with a westbound tractor-trailer driven by F.M. Saggese, 33, of West Oneonta, state police said. The accident occurred at 2:50 p.m.
Mattice was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred near the Town of Laurens.
A press conference has been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. today at Troop C headquarters in Sidney. An investigation into the crash continues, troopers said.
Mattice was from the Buffalo area, Torres said. She was a member of the state police for more than six years.
Published on WCAX - January 21, 2010
MORRIS, N.Y. (AP) - State police say the first female trooper to die while on duty was driving a cruiser back to the Oneonta (oh-nee-AHN'-tuh) barracks from her assignment at a local school when she was killed in a collision.
Police say 31-year-old Trooper Jill Mattice (muh-TYCE') was traveling east on State Route 23 when she collided with the westbound tractor-trailer around 2:50 p.m. Wednesday in the Otsego (aht-SEE'-goh) County town of Morris, 57 miles southeast of Syracuse.
Trooper Nelson Torres says it was a side-impact collision, but the wreck remains under investigation and no other details are being released before a 1:30 p.m. press conference Thursday.
The Cheektowaga (cheek-tuh-WAH'-guh) native was a 6-year veteran and had worked as a school resource officer the past 2 1/2 years.
Published in the Oneonta Daily Star - January 21, 2010
State police at Oneonta Trooper Jill E. Mattice died Wednesday when her police car collided with a tractor-trailer on state Route 23 at about 2:50 p.m. in the town of Morris, according to a media release from state police in Sidney. She was pronounced dead at the scene, Otsego County Coroner James Hurley said.
Mattice, 31, was driving east in her police car when the collision occurred with the westbound vehicle being driven by F.M. Saggese, 33, of West Oneonta. Saggese was not listed in the phone book and could not be reached for comment.
Residents said that the lowboy tractor-trailer was owned by David Beisler Excavating. When reached, David Beisler declined to comment.
State police declined to say where she was driving to at the time of the crash, referring all questions to a press conference on the investigation scheduled for today at 1:30 p.m. at Troop C Headquarters in Sidney.
Mattice had been with the state police for 61/2 years and was assigned as the school resource officer for Unadilla Valley and Franklin Central schools, troopers said.
"She was such a true professional and a beautiful person," Franklin Principal Jason Thomson said. "We lost a friend."
The school is still grieving for 2006 graduate Marine Cpl. Nick Uzenski, who died recently while serving with in Afghanistan. But officials have a plan in place to help students and teachers with this loss, he said. This includes care rooms and area guidance counselors, he said.
In a small school, "it's like losing a friend," Thomson said about the loss. "The kids adored her."
But his thoughts went out Wednesday to Mattice's family and friends.
She came from the Buffalo area, he said.
"Its a sad day for law enforcement and everyone who knew her," said Scott Harrington, an Oneonta town constable and friend of Mattice.
"I'm not really dealing with it well," he said about the loss. "It doesn't seem real."
Especially in a small community, people in law enforcement work closely with each other.
"We all become friends," he said. "She had a big heart. She was fun to be around."
The investigation is continuing, state police said.
Hurley said Mattice's body was taken to Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton for an autopsy.
Mattice is the 123rd state trooper to die in the line of duty and the first woman, according to the New York State Police Wall of Honor.
The last local state trooper to be killed serving the community was Ricky J. Parisian, 34, of Oneonta, who was shot May 20, 1994, trying to stop an armed robbery of the former Great American supermarket in Oneonta. A trooper from Coxsackie, David Brinkerhoff, 29, was killed in Arkville during a 2007 gun battle with man who shot and wounded a trooper a day earlier in Margaretville.
Published in the Oneonta Daily Star - January 20, 2010
A tractor-trailer and a state police car collided on state Route 23, according to troopers. Multiple sources have confirmed that the trooper has died.
The crash occurred at around 3 p.m. near the Morris/Laurens town line, and emergency dispatchers described it as resulting in serious personal injury. A call for extrication equipment was made to local fire departments.
The highway was closed in that area and traffic was being rerouted around the scene.
A 6˝-year veteran of the state police, Trooper Jill E. Mattice, 31, was assigned to the Oneonta trooper barracks and worked as a school resource officer for Unadilla Valley Central School and Franklin Central School, according to troopers.
A preliminary investigation revealed that Mattice, who was driving east, was involved in a collision at about 2:50 p.m. with a westbound tractor-trailer driven by F.M. Saggese, 33, of West Oneonta. She was pronounced dead at the scene, troopers said.
The investigation is continuing, troopers said.
Mattice is the 123rd state trooper to die in the line of duty and the first woman, according to the New York State Police Wall of Honor.
The last trooper to die on duty was Shawn W. Snow, 47, was electrocuted in Ogdensburg while helping to change a flat tire on an antique fire truck Aug. 3, 2008. The last local state trooper to be killed serving the community was Ricky J. Parisian, 34, of Oneonta, who was shot May 20, 1994, trying to stop the armed robbery of the former Great American supermarket in Oneonta. A trooper from Coxsackie, David Brinkerhoff, 29, was killed in Arkville during a gun battle with man who shot and wounded a trooper a day earlier in Margaretville.
Published in the Washington Post - January 20, 2010
MORRIS, N.Y. -- State police say a trooper has been killed in a collision with a tractor-trailer, making her the first female New York state trooper to die in the line of duty.
Police say 31-year-old Trooper Jill Mattice (muh-TYCE') was traveling east on State Route 23 in upstate New York when her cruiser collided with the westbound truck Wednesday afternoon in the Otsego (aht-SEE'-goh) County town of Morris, 57 miles southeast of Syracuse.
Police say Mattice was pronounced dead at the scene.
State police Mattice was a six-year veteran stationed at the Oneonta (oh-nee-AHN'-tuh) barracks and assigned as the school resource officer for two local school districts.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
In Memory of Trooper Jill Mattice
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