Cedar River Bridge to Be Named in Honor of Fallen State Trooper

A Cedar River Bridge will be dedicated Wednesday in honor of an Iowa State Patrol trooper who died in the line of duty.

Troopers in Eastern Iowa, along with members of the state legislature and officers from local law enforcement agencies, will pause to honor Trooper Charles Whitney.

Whitney was struck by a vehicle and killed Sunday, June 16, 1985, while making a traffic stop on I-380. He was handing the driver a ticket through the driver's side window when another vehicle whose driver had fallen asleep struck him.

Whitney had served with the Iowa State Patrol for 24 years and was 55 years old. According to the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, he died less than two months before he would have retired. He worked at the Iowa State Patrol Post 9 headquarters in Cedar Falls for 23 years.

The Interstate 380/U.S. Highway 20 bridge over the Cedar River between Evansdale and Waterloo will be dedicated in his honor. Ten bridges in total are being dedicated for fallen troopers across the state this year.

Members of the public are invited and welcome to attend the dedication ceremony as a show support for those who serve and protect Iowa communities.