Trooper Martin Mack III laid to rest following I-95 crash in Philadelphia
Trooper Martin Mack III laid to rest following I-95 crash in Philadelphia
A funeral for Trooper Martin F. Mack III was held at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Levittown Thursday morning. Following the service a procession transported him to his final resting place at Our Lady of Grace Cemetery in Langhorne. "I will remember my hero as an amazing father, best friend, and my filter, my sounding board and my husband." Stephanie Mack said. "The girls were incredibly lucky to have you even if that time was cut incredibly too short."
LEVITTOWN, Pa. - A Pennsylvania state trooper was laid to rest Thursday after he, another trooper were killed by a suspected drunk driver as they assisted a man on I-95 in Philadelphia last week.
A funeral for Trooper Martin F. Mack III was held at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Levittown Thursday morning. Following the service a procession transported him to his final resting place at Our Lady of Grace Cemetery in Langhorne.
"Marrying him was hands down the best and easiest decision of my life," Stephanie Mack, Martin's widow, said. Together, the couple have two children.
"I will remember my hero as an amazing father, best friend, and my filter, my sounding board and my husband." Mack said. "The girls were incredibly lucky to have you even if that time was cut incredibly too short."
Mack, 33, and Trooper Branden T. Sisca, 29, were on the highway responding to a call for a man walking in the southbound lanes of the roadway when police say all three were struck and killed by a suspected drunk driver.
Authorities say Jayana Tanae Webb, 21, was behind the wheel of the SUV when it plowed into the men, sending all three over the median and into the northbound lanes. Her vehicle later came to a stop in the right shoulder and she was taken into custody.
Webb faces more than a dozen charges in the incident, including three counts of third-degree murder, three counts of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, and two counts of second-degree manslaughter of a law enforcement officer. Sources have told FOX 29 since the crash that Webb had a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit when she was tested following the crash.
Law enforcement sources also say that Mack and Sisca had conducted a traffic stop involving Webb's SUV a short time before the crash, but that stop was cut short as they responded to priority calls for the man walking on the highway. The initial stop lasted less than a minute, according to sources.
The deadly crash's impact on the brotherhood and sisterhood of law enforcement community was apparent at a viewing for Trooper Mack that was held Wednesday.
Troopers from states as far away as Indiana and California showed up to pay their respects to Mack, and Pennsylvania State Troopers came in busloads.
"Marty was a great trooper but he was an even better father," Corporal Paul LaPlaca said of his best friend. "Marty was the most loyal dependable person I have ever known."
Trooper Martin Mack III (L) and Trooper Branden Sisca (R) (Pennsylvania State Police)
Mack, a seven-year member of the force, was a graduate of Monsignor Bonner High School and Albright College.
A viewing for Trooper Sisca is scheduled for Friday, with a funeral to follow on Saturday.
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