Never Forgotten
Tragically, the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department and citizens have suffered the loss of two police officers in the line of duty.
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See below to learn about these officers, who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the performance of their duties.
Officer Robert Galen Etter, Jr.
Officer Stephanie Rae Markins
End of Watch Monday, July 22, 2002
End of Watch Monday, July 22, 2002
Officer Etter had served with the DePere Police Department for 30 years and with the Pulaski Police Department for two years before joining the 5-person Hobart/Lawrence Police Department in March 2001 when it was created. He had previously served in Vietnam with the United States Army and is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren.
Officer Markins had served with the Hobart/Lawrence Police Department for just one month and previously was a police officer for three years with the Brillion Police Department.
Officer Down Memorial Page
Officer Stephanie Markins and Officer Robert Etter were killed when the driver of a full-size pickup truck deliberately struck their patrol car while it was stopped at a stop sign in the 3800 block of West Mason Street (Highway 54) at 4:22 pm.
As the suspect approached the patrol car, he accelerated to approximately 70 mph and struck it on the driver's side without ever applying his brakes. Officer Etter, sitting in the passenger's seat, was ejected from the patrol car, and Officer Markins was pinned inside. Both officers died at the scene. The suspect, who was out looking to kill a police officer, was arrested.
The 27-year-old suspect was found guilty of two counts of first-degree intentional homicide in 2003 and sentenced to 50 years in prison with no eligibility for parole.