There's no doubt Police Officer Brian Jones is a hero here in Norfolk. However, his valiant actions last Friday not only touched those here in Hampton Roads.
"It's a numbing feeling,” says Kentucky State Police Sgt. Michael Williams. “There’s just no words to explain it."
"It wasn't a question,” says Kentucky State Trooper Donald Crawford.
Without hesitation Crawford and Williams, who both grew up with Jones in Livingston County Kentucky, drove 14 hours with only a few hours’ sleep.
Crawford recalls the desire Jones had to one day serve himself.
"Ever since I can remember, he always wanted to be in law enforcement,” Crawford says. “I joined law enforcement in 2001 and he spent countless hours in my passenger seat. He was in it every chance he got."
Jones not only followed in the footsteps of his buddies, but also Deputy Roger Dale Lynch, who Jones looked up to as a teen. Lynch also died in the line of duty in 2005.
"You always know that time of year for Roger,” Crawford says. “Now it's going to be Roger and Brian. So it's hard. It really is."
That pain was somewhat comforted by the hundreds of others who came to remember Jones. The line for his viewing Wednesday night wrapped around the funeral home.
"It means a lot when you look up and you see everybody here," Crawford says.
"It’s awesome to see such a good crowd of people here to honor a person that they didn't even know," Sgt. Williams says. "Knowing that he sacrificed and ultimate price it's just an honor to have known him."
The funeral will be held on Thursday at 11 a.m. at Rock Church, 640 Kempsville Road in Virginia Beach.
Police departments, fire, EMS and citizens are expected to attend Jones' funeral and traffic is expected to be extremely congested in this area near and around the procession route on Thursday.
The procession will proceed as follows:
From Rock Church located at 640 Kempsville Road, Virginia Beach
To the intersection of Kempsville and Princess Anne Road turning left onto Princess Anne
The procession will continue on Princess Anne to the intersection of Princess Anne and Newtown Road
Turning right on Newtown Road and continuing to the I-264 on ramp.
From I-264 to I-64 to Granby Street and from Granby Street to Fairlawn Cemetery.
The service at the church starts at 11:00 a.m. and the internment is expected to take place at approximately 1:30 p.m.
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