SEATTLE — The Washington State Patrol on Saturday released details of an upcoming memorial service for a trooper killed during a traffic stop in Kitsap County, while the man’s family remembered him as a committed law enforcement officer.
State Patrol spokesman Bob Calkins said the service for Trooper Tony Radulescu is set for 1 p.m. Thursday at the ShoWare Center arena in Kent. He said the public is welcome to attend.
Also Saturday, the trooper’s family spoke publicly for the first time since the slaying, the Kitsap Sun reported.
Radulescu’s son Erick said during a news conference in Bremerton that his father was “everything” to him.
“He was a hero. He was the biggest role model in my life. He was really my best friend,” the 22-year-old Army medic said. “At least he got to go doing what he loved to do.”
Erick Radulescu is stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma and has been deployed overseas twice. He said he is considering serving with the State Patrol as a way to pay homage to his father, the Sun reported.
“I never thought about it before, but I want to bring credit to him and all he’s accomplished,” he said.
The 44-year-old Tony Radulescu of Port Orchard was born in Romania, served in the Army during the Gulf War and was a trooper for 16 years. His ability to speak Romanian, Spanish and Korean made him an unofficial translator for the county’s law enforcement agencies.
Tony Radulescu was gunned down early Thursday after pulling over a pickup truck on Highway 16 in Gorst.
Authorities say the suspect, 28-year-old Joshua Blake, fatally shot himself hours later.
Five people have been arrested for allegedly helping Blake after he killed the trooper, including Blake’s former girlfriend.
Asked whether he feels better knowing people are in custody in the case, Erick Radulescu said, “No, not really.”
“There are more bad people out there waiting to do more bad things,” he said.
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