Fallen Trooper Laid To Rest Amid Outpouring Of Emotion

HARTFORD/SOUTHINGTON, CT — A beloved state trooper and Southington native son was laid to rest Wednesday amid a state police funeral showing the strong bonds of brotherhood in law enforcement ranks.

Thousands packed the Xfinity Theater in Hartford Wednesday for the funeral service of Trooper First Class Aaron Pelletier, a resident and native of Southington killed in the line of duty last week.

Pelletier, 34, died May 30 after a motorist struck him while he was conducting a traffic stop on Interstate 84 in Southington, where he was born, raised, and resided.

He lost his life conducting a seat belt enforcement check, part of an ongoing safety initiative. The driver of the pickup truck that hit him fled the scene and was, later, caught.

Pelletier left behind a wife, Dominique Pelletier, and two young sons, Troy and Zach, along with several friends and family members.

"Aaron's sense of humor brought joy and stability to our lives. He is a man of integrity and honor and I will make sure our children always know those traits definitely came from him," Dominique Pelletier said in an emotional eulogy for her husband.

Wednesday's funeral service was to precede a private burial at St. Thomas Cemetery in Southington.

Prior to the poignant ceremony, law enforcement personnel from throughout the region, donning their dress uniforms, impressively filed into the concert hall.

As bagpipes were played by the Middletown Pipes and Drum Corp., Pelletier's flag-draped casket was solemnly marched into the theater by pallbearers.

But while tears were shed and a life spent serving others was remembered, smiles and laughter permeated the somber theater as Pelletier's life, not the loss of his life, were discussed.

Pelletier's widow

Amid tears and, even, some, humorous reflections, Pelletier's widow, Dominique Pelletier, delivered the most emotional words on an emotional day.

She recounted her late husband's life and what he brought to her. She also thanked her husband's colleagues.

"I cannot thank the Connecticut State Police enough for all the support that I have given since the moment I received the worst news of my life," Dominique Pelletier said.

"I know how much Aaron was loved, but I had no idea the impact he had on the lives of so many of his fellow troopers," she said. "The sense of camaraderie and family within the department was something he cherished deeply."

"And I know that that same spirit will continue to guide and support us all as we move forward," Dominique Pelletier said.

She said, despite her husband's reputation for never turning down an overtime shift, he always made time to be there for his family.

But Pelletier's wife also had a message for her late husband's colleagues.

"In a room full of police officers, my challenge to you all is to make sure you make time to make memories. It's OK to say 'no' to the overtime shift from time to time," she said, her voice cracking.

Pelletier's widow recounted gifts from her husband over the years and also remembered her husband coaching T-ball for his son.

Then, she delivered a final, heart-wrenching goodbye.

"To my honey. You weren't just my husband. You were my home. You were my heart. You were my safe place and my provider," she said in tears. "My best friend. My secret keeper. My favorite gossiper. And we loved our 'trash TV.'

"I can't express how much I will miss your incessant patrol Facetimes, your cruiser in our driveway and I am even willing to admit I will miss the way you chewed your food," Dominique Pelletier said.

"The light in our smiles will be forever dimmed and the thought of this world without that laugh, seems unimaginable, but it has already become real," she continued.

"I promise to keep you alive in our home and in our boys' memories forever. I love you and I miss you. I just fricking miss you."

Tributes flowed

Dominique Pelletier's words ended an emotional parade of colleagues and family members who honored the veteran law enforcer with eulogies of their own.

Col. Daniel Loughman, commanding officer of Connecticut State Police, recalled Pelletier's service and dedication.

He spoke of his time commanding the Troop H barracks in Hartford, where Pelletier worked until his tragic passing.

"Every time I saw him — every single time —he had a smile on his face. A true genuine smile," Loughman said. "It was clear to me and to everyone who worked with him, that he loved being a Connecticut State Trooper."

That love translated into dedication to his job as a K-9 officer with partner Roso, a role he had since 2021 after joining the force in 2015.

It was a level of dedication, Loughman said, that only ended when the tragic events of May 30 unfolded, when Pelletier became the 26th state trooper to die in the line of duty.

"His bright future was tragically taken from him and his loving family," Loughman said.

Pelletier was posthumously awarded the Life Saving Medal and the Medal of Honor. Loughmann presented those awards to Dominique Pelletier and her family.

Michael Pelletier, Aaron Pelletier's brother, fought threw tears to honor not just a heroic law enforcer, but a beloved family member.

He recounted a story of when he and Aaron Pelletier would camp out in the backyard during the summer as children.

Michael Pelletier joked about how his father would startle the brothers with firecrackers during these backyard campouts, giving them a memorable wake-up call.

Pelletier's brother talked about the fallen hero's mischievous side as a child.

"Aaron had a look, a smile, a grin that would give you a look that he had an idea or a joke and you knew the idea was either going to be fun or trouble. A lot of times, they were both," Michael Pelletier said.

Michael Pelletier said the Dallas Cowboys, his brother's favorite team, even sent flowers to the family, so Michael Pelletier, a non-Cowboy fan, would "give them a break" this year.

"All jokes side, I know my brother is laughing and flashing that grin we'll all miss," Michael Pelletier said amid tears. "My brother may be gone. But I know I will always find peace when I see his face in my nephew Troy and his antics in Zach."

Two of Pelletier's colleagues also spoke.

Trooper First Class Darren Connolly said Aaron Pelletier was not just an honorable law enforcer, but a strong family man and friend.

"His tragic and untimely passing in the line of duty marks a profound loss for his family, his community, and the State of Connecticut," Connolly said.

"He was impossible to get mad at ... unless you were one of his sergeants investigating his many department accidents," Connelly continued, displaying the humor found in many police barracks.

"He had a knack for crashing cruisers. Aaron had an innate ability to locate Jersey barriers, light poles, and, even, a city bus."

Trooper First Class John Such was Aaron Pelletier's field training officer and friend and spoke of Pelletier's close childhood friend since the fifth grade, Andy Policki.

Often, Such said, Aaron Pelletier was the one trying to keep he and his friends out of trouble while embarking in typical teenage mischief.

"Aaron was the voice of reason, he was the one saying, guys, this is not a good idea," Such said.

Policki, Such said, joined the Marines and fought in Afghanistan, serving two tours, while Pelletier went to college before a career in law enforcement.

According to Such, a boot camp-weary Policki had sent a letter to Pelletier, a letter discovered in a storage safe after Pelletier's death.

Policki asked Pelletier to look after his family if something happened to him, Such said, a role that has, now, been reversed.

After two combat tours in Afghanistan, Policki came home and struggled emotionally from the tolls of war, attributing his recovery to the love Pelletier showed him after, Such said.

"Aaron's spirit will forever live in our hearts of those who he touched and his legacy will inspire future generations of those who answered the call of service," Such said.

Suspect's status

While Pelletier was mourned Wednesday, the man police said was responsible for his death remains in police custody.

Alex Oyola-Sanchez, 44, of 584 Zion St., Hartford, is facing several charges in connection with the incident.

Police said he was driving the pickup truck that sideswiped Pelletier's parked police cruiser, then struck Pelletier himself.

He was arraigned in court May 31 for several charges, including operating under the influence of drugs/alcohol and vehicular manslaghter.

Oyuola-Sanchez is being held on $1.5 million bond after an initial $5 million bond last week and is expected in New Britain Superior Court on Thursday, June 6.

To donate to the state police's GoFundMe page for the Pelletier family, click on this link.

From May 31: 'Suspect Charged In Death Of Trooper In Southington: CSP'

From May 30: 'Fallen Trooper 'A Dedicated And Compassionate Professional:' UPDATE'