HENRICO, Va (WRIC) — Three young police officers hugged one another after sharing memories of their fallen friend, Officer Trey Sutton, Friday morning.
The gesture of comradery lifted Officer Morteza Mahmoudi after he was brought to tears, standing side by side with several colleagues.
“The day of [police academy] graduation, he gave me the biggest hug and said ‘we made it.’ That memory is going to be with me forever,” Mahmoudi said.
Sutton, 24, died after the cruiser he was driving Wednesday night was t-boned by a Dodge pickup at the Chamberlayne Road and Wilkinson Road intersection.
The crash injured a field training officer, and someone in custody, who were also in the vehicle. Police said their injuries remain critical Friday evening, and the driver of the pickup has since been released from the hospital.
A cruiser, adorned with flowers welcomed a community behind the badge to pay their respects before he’s laid to rest, and as investigators try and piece together different scenarios of what exactly happened.
“You could be having the absolute worst day of your life, and you’d look at him and he could tell that you’re going through something, and he would give you that side kind of smirk, and it would just lift your spirit,” said Officer Chip Sturek.
Friday morning, Sutton’s body arrived at a Richmond funeral home, nearly 36 hours after the crash.
“The day before this all happened [the crash], we were out together, and he, we were driving on [interstate] 95 and he said that, ‘man, I love being a police officer. He’s like, ‘I know where I am and I know this is what I was meant to be doing,” Officer Matthew Cane said while holding back tears.
Though Sutton just joined the force after police academy graduation, this young man who chose a life of service, will not soon be forgotten by his loved ones, or his peers.
“He would support you in whatever you do,” Officer Grace Cook said.
Sutton’s family has begun making funeral arrangements. A public visitation is scheduled for Tuesday evening from 5 to 8 p.m. at Victory Tabernacle Church in Midlothian. Sutton’s memorial service will also be held at the church the next day at 11 a.m.
Sutton will be laid to rest at Merchants Hope Memorial Gardens in Hopewell, and the public is welcome to attend.
