A large crowd gathered at the Decatur County Courthouse on Friday, in the midst of the downtown Greensburg Sesquicentennial celebration.
Their mission was not to take part in the festivities, however. Rather, they had convened to honor and remember the sacrifice made by Indiana State Police Tpr. Andrew P. Winzenread.
On April 25, 1997, Tpr. Winzenread was struck and killed by a semi-tractor trailer that had passed too closely on Interstate 74. According to ISP Sgt. Noel Houze, Winzenread went to assist a stranded motorist by himself. He could have called for help, Houze explained, but chose to go alone. Houze was Winzenread’s squad sergeant, who rode with him the day he was killed.
On Friday, State Rep. Cleo Duncan led the group inside the courthouse to commemorate Winzenread’s sacrifice with a memorial marker on Interstate 74, which renamed the stretch of road along mile marker 144 the “Trooper Andrew P. Winzenread Memorial Highway.” Winzenread’s daughter Taylor, his widow Cindy Winzenread and his mother Sharon Winzenread attended the ceremony.
At the ceremony, Duncan passed on the duties of reading the proclamation from the state governmen to Houze, because she was worried she wouldn’t be able to get through it without crying.
Sharon Winzenread explained that, through all of the support for her family, she has been overwhelmed.
“Andrew loved his job and loved people,” Cindy Winzenread said.
She noted that he is still touching lives, through things like the annual golf tournament that raises funds for the Andrew P. Winzenread Scholarship.
Following the tragedy of Winzenread’s death, Houze approached Duncan and asked if there was something that could be done. They worked together and Duncan developed the Slow Down/Move Over legislation that was created in 1999.
“Last year, all 50 states adopted Indiana’s law,” Duncan explained with a tear in her eye.
Houze, who has been with the ISP for 25 years, said there was something good that came out of the tragedy.
“We don’t know how many lives that might have been saved as a result of Andy’s sacrifice,” he said.
Winzenread’s death, Houze added, was something that has stuck with him throughout his career.
“This tragedy also changed the lives of those who knew Andy,” he said.
Motorists driving past mile marker 144 on I-74 will now notice the blue plaque indicating it is the “Tpr. Andrew P. Winzenread Memorial Highway,” commemorating Winzenread’s sacrifice.
“Trooper Winzenread’s actions displayed his willingness to go the extra mile and to help people wherever he had the opportunity,” she said. “He was a shining example of all the good qualities exhibited by Indiana State Troopers, and he truly lived by the guiding values of the Indiana State Police — integrity, service and professionalism.”
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