A Virginia police officer killed in a crash while responding to a call had policing in his blood and was just married two months ago.
Winchester police Officer Hunter Edwards, 30, died after his patrol car struck a tree as he was rushing to back up fellow officers responding to a big fight Saturday night.
He’d just married Tara Edwards in September and considered her son to be his son.
“He was just a good man, a good person,” said his wife, Tara Edwards, suddenly a widow. “He loved what he did.”
His mother, Anne-Berry Wade, said policing was in his blood. His father was an officer and she was once in law enforcement, too.
“He majored in criminal justice in college and I think there was never any doubt in his mind that that was the career path that would be the perfect one for him,” Wade said.
Tara Edwards said it's no surprise her husband was hurrying to help fellow officers when he crashed.
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“He didn't have to be asked to do that. He just took initiative on his own to always be there and help go above and beyond,” she said.
In addition to being a patrol officer, Edwards trained for the department’s SWAT team and Civil Disturbance Response Unit.
First responders stood atop Interstate 66 overpasses paying tribute as his body was returned to Winchester Monday.
“Anytime you have a line of duty death, it creates a huge hole and it's very painful for the men and women of the department,” Winchester Police Chief John Piper said.
A visitation is scheduled for Thursday at the Winchester Church of God from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. A funeral for family, friends and law enforcement personnel will be held on Friday at 11 a.m.
A procession route will be announced soon, the city of Winchester said.
