Police Officer Russell Croxton was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer while conducting a traffic stop on US 167 near Robert Lane shortly after 1:00 pm.
The vehicle he was pulling over stopped in the right travel lane of the four-lane highway. As Officer Croxton spoke with the driver a tractor-trailer failed to move over and struck the back of his patrol truck before striking him and the other vehicle.
Officer Croxton was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Officer Croxton’s father, Sergeant Raymond Croxton, was killed in the line of duty on May 23, 1978, when he was involved in a crash during a vehicle pursuit while serving with the Ruston Police Department.