Trooper Richard Gaston was killed when his patrol car was struck by a semitrailer on the Indiana Toll Road (Interstate 80/90) westbound at milepost 74 in South Bend.

   He was sitting in the driver's seat during a traffic stop and was killed instantly while his field training officer was seriously injured in the accident.

   After the semitrailer struck their vehicle from behind, it jack-knifed and struck the vehicle that had been stopped, killing a 65-year-old man and his 11-year-old grandson inside.

   The 50-year-old semitrailer driver was charged with 13 offenses, including possession of drug paraphernalia, driving within 72 hours after consumption of cocaine and a federal weapons charge for possession of a handgun within the cab.

   He later pleaded guilty to six felony counts of operating while intoxicated causing death and serious bodily injury, sentenced to 14 years in prison and released in 2005.

   Trooper Gaston, from Indianapolis, was assigned to the Toll Road district. He was survived by his wife, 10-month-old daughter and parents.

   Trooper Gaston was the first of three troopers within 11 months to be killed in the line of duty from the 56th ISP Recruit Academy, which graduated in December 1998. He was a roommate of Trooper Cory Elson who was killed in the line of duty on April 3, 1999.