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Chester County Press

Part of highway named for fallen state trooper

09/18/2018 02:02PM ● By Richard Gaw
By Richard L. Gaw, Staff Writer

Beneath the cover of two large tents that protected them from the rain, the family, friends and colleagues of State Trooper Kenton Iwaniec gathered outside the Pennsylvania Troop J Avondale Barracks on Sept. 17, to not only honor a fallen colleague, but to dedicate a portion of a local highway to him.

In a ceremony filled with heartfelt remembrance and praise, it was announced that the portion of Route 41 between Route 926 and U.S. Route 1 has been renamed the Trooper Kenton Iwaniec Memorial Highway.

The hour-long tribute was highlighted by the words of speakers Judge Patrick Carmody, State Sens. John Rafferty and Andrew Dinniman, Representative John Lawrence, Corporal Steven B. Ranck, Lieutenant Michelle Swantner and Iwaniec's parents, Ken and Deb Iwaniec.

A facsimile of the road sign that appears on Route 41 was unveiled at the ceremony.

Throughout the event, gratitude was extended to Corporal Chris Winesburg, Lieutenant Rob Bailey, Dinniman, Rafferty and Senator Kim Ward for their efforts to create the idea for the signage. In June, the Pa. State Legislature unanimously passed – and Gov. Wolf signed into law – Act 61 of 2018.

On March 27, 2008, Trooper Iwaniec, 24, had finished his shift at the Avondale Barracks and began driving home. Two miles from the station, an impaired driver crossed the center line and struck Iwaniec's vehicle head on. Iwaniec was flown to Christiana Hospital and died as a result of his injuries.

In the years since, the Iwaniec family has established the Trooper Kenton Iwaniec Foundation, which honors DUI victims, raises awareness about the seriousness of impaired driving, and encourages the community to have a positive influence in the reduction of impaired driving.

The foundation also provides Preliminary Breath Test Devices (PBTs) to the Pennsylvania State Police and other law enforcement agencies throughout Pennsylvania. To learn more about the foundation, visit www.trooperiwaniec.org.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].