Officer Stephanie Rae Markins

Stephanie Rae Markins

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.

Officer Markins had served with the Hobart/Lawrence Police Department for just one month and had previously been a police officer for three years with the Brillion Police Department. She was survived by her parents and fiancé.