NOV 2022. Blues Vol 38 No. 11

AROUND THE COUNTRY
CARROLLTON, TX.
Carrollton Officer Steven Nothem killed when his patrol
car was struck by a vehicle on the Bush Turnpike.
CARROLLTON, TX — A Carrollton
police officer and another
driver were killed in a crash on
the President George Bush Turnpike
on Tuesday, October 18th.
Officer Steve Nothem II, was
assisting a drunk-driving investigation
when his squad car was
hit by a passing driver’s vehicle.
Local TV Station WFAA’s William
Joy spoke with the officer’s
father and namesake, Steve
Nothem, on Wednesday, the day
after the crash. Steve Nothem
said before his son was a police
officer, he served as a U.S. Marine
and did two tours in Iraq.
“He did that because he wanted
to matter. He wanted ...,” Nothem
said, as he choked up. “The
Iraq war was young and dangerous,
and he wanted to make his
mark.”
Steve Nothem said his son “was
always the defender of the underdog”
in high school. He went
on to tell a story about how his
son had a friend named Sam Lee,
who had cystic fibrosis and was
picked on in high school. Steve
Nothem said his son would stand
up for Lee and defend him from
the bullies.
Steve Nothem II and Lee vowed
together that Nothem II would
fight for our country, while Lee
fought for his life.
“Steve got back from his first
tour of Iraq to learn that Sam
was pretty much on his death
bed,” Steve Nothem told WFAA.
“Steve told Sam that he would
name his son Sam, after him,
and within an hour, his friend
Sam died. That’s the kind of kid
[Steve] was.”
Steve Nothem said his son decided
to become a police officer
after his military career because,
again, “he defends the underdog.”
He said his son served for
about four years in Wisconsin
before moving to Texas.
“[Steve] chose Texas over the
other warmer climate states
because he felt that the police
departments in Texas were more
well-respected than other parts
of the country,” Steve Nothem
said.
Steve Nothem said Carrollton
police notified the Kiel, Wisc. police,
who then sent two officers
to his house to deliver the heartbreaking
news.
“First thing I said was ‘it’s 4
a.m., who died’ and they said it
was Steven.”
Steve Nothem said, “if there’s
anything that’s sort of comforting,
it’s that he wasn’t killed by
another drunk driver.” He said his
OFFICER STEVEN R. NOTHEM
Deputy Matthew Yates
son “had a thing about keeping
drunk drivers off the highway”
because his aunt was killed by
a drunk driver on Christmas Eve
nearly a decade ago.
The Carrollton Police Department
said Nothem II leaves
behind a 13-year-old son, twin
6-year-old sons and a 1-yearold
daughter.
“He really, really loved his wife
and kids. More than most husbands
do,” Steve Nothem said.
“That was his whole life. That
and his service, his community
service. Those two things were
it.”
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26 The BLUES The BLUES 27