YARMOUTH, Mass. — Dozens of people gathered on Wednesday to dedicate a memorial to fallen Trooper Ellen Engelhardt, who died in 2011 from injuries she suffered in the line of duty in 2003 in Wareham when she was struck by a drunken driver.
The memorial is located outside the State Police-Yarmouth Barracks at 1172 State Road in South Yarmouth.
Engelhardt, then 50, was on patrol and parked on the side of the road on Route 25 in Wareham on July 26, 2003 when her cruiser was struck by a drunken driver who was speeding, state police said.
She suffered severe brain damage and other injuries, spending eight years in a neurological rehabilitation facility before dying on June 1, 2011.
In addition to state police officials and other law enforcement, Engelhardt’s daughter, Lora Tedeman, attended the dedication ceremony in memory of her late mother.
William Senne of Wayland, the driver accused of slamming into Engelhardt’s parked cruiser, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison after the initial crash.
In 2014, Senne of pleaded guilty to a vehicular homicide charge in connection with Engelhardt’s death, and was sentenced to three years in prison.
Engelhardt served as a Massachusetts State Trooper for nearly 23 years. She was a graduate of the Department’s 61st Recruit Training Troop in 1981.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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