SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 44

(By Senators Swope, Boso, Maynard, Stollings, Cline, and Plymale)

[Introduced March 1, 2018]

Requesting the Division of Highways name a portion of U. S. Route 19 in Princeton, beginning at Monroe Street and ending at Clay Street, in Mercer County, the “Bluefield Police LT Aaron L. Crook Memorial Road”.

Whereas, LT Aaron L. Crook was born on August 31,1984, to Shelda Jean Bennett and the late Jackie Lee Crook. He grew up in Nimitz, attended Jumping Branch School from kindergarten to fifth grade, then Pipestem Christian Academy from which he graduated; and

Whereas, LT Aaron L. Crook joined the U. S. Marine Corps Reserves in 2006 where he was a heavy equipment operator and was honorably discharged in 2014; and

Whereas, LT Aaron L. Crook received his criminal justice degree from Bluefield State College and joined the Bluefield Police Department on February 25, 2008, where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant; and

Whereas, LT Aaron L. Crook married Whitney Brookman in March 2009. They had their first child August 2014 and a second child in June 2016; and

Whereas, Lieutenant Crook loved his family and country. He also loved the outdoors, especially fishing, and never passed up an opportunity to go fishing with his buddies; and

Whereas, LT Aaron L. Crook died on May 30, 2017, from injuries received while serving and protecting the good people of Bluefield and Mercer County; and

Whereas, LT Aaron L. Crook is survived by his: wife, Whitney Ann Brookman Crook; children, Brycen Lee Crook and Paislee Ann Crook; mother, Shelda Jean Bennett Crook; grandmother, Loretta Jean Titta; three brothers, Jason Alexander Crook, Jackie Lee Crook II, and Brian Thomas Crook; and two half-siblings, Deborah Bennett and Terry Baich; and

Whereas, It is appropriate to name this road to honor LT Aaron L. Crook’s service to his community and to his country; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name a portion of U. S. Route 19 in Princeton, beginning at Monroe Street and ending at Clay Street, in Mercer County, the “Bluefield Police LT Aaron L. Crook Memorial Road”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is requested to have made and be placed signs identifying the road as the “Bluefield Police LT Aaron L. Crook Memorial Road”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways.