Injured trooper honored in Yarmouth

Signs honoring state police Trooper Ellen Engelhardt will soon stand near Route 6, reminding those who pass by of a career dedicated to public service.

But the real tribute to Engelhardt was in the hearts of colleagues and strangers who stood shoulder to shoulder during a ceremony today to remember her compassion and dedication.

An estimated 100 people, mostly police, crowded into a state highway garage for the ceremony held just off the Mid-Cape Highway, only yards from where Engelhardt spent many years directing morning rush hour traffic.

They were there for the unveiling of signs bearing Engelhardt’s name that will stand along the Exit 7 on and off ramps – a rare tribute to a living police officer.

Engelhardt, 55, was gravely injured six years ago when a drunken driver going nearly 100 miles an hour slammed into the back of her patrol car while it was stopped in a break-down lane on Route 25.

Although she survived, the injuries – including a traumatic brain injury – left Engelhardt unable to communicate or care for herself. She lives today in a specialized care facility, frequently visited by family.

“I didn’t know her so to speak,” said South Dennis resident Maureen Spencer. “I used to see her every morning when I drove to work (in Hyannis). Then one time my car broke down in the winter, and she let me sit in her cruiser to stay warm while I waited for my husband to come pick me up.”

It was the memory of this one simple act of kindness that led Spencer to attend today’s ceremony. “When she was first hurt, it just broke my heart,” Spencer said. “Until I met her, I’d never really had any interaction with police. She made police human for me.”

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