ELK RIVER, MN – A retired Brooklyn Park police officer who spent two decades protecting his community was killed Tuesday morning when he stopped to help a driver stuck on an icy road and was struck by another vehicle, authorities said.
Clayton Connolly, 53, pulled over around 6:25 a.m. near the intersection of Main Street Northwest and Highway 169 in Elk River after spotting a motorist whose car had become stuck due to treacherous winter conditions. As he worked to assist the stranded driver, tragedy struck.
A vehicle exiting northbound Highway 169 and turning onto eastbound Main Street lost control on the slick roadway and slammed into both Connolly and the stuck vehicle he was trying to help. The impact was severe enough that emergency responders immediately called for an ambulance.
Connolly was rushed to a nearby hospital but could not be saved. Medical personnel pronounced him dead shortly after arrival, cutting short a life devoted to public service.
The two drivers involved in the collision – the person Connolly was helping and the driver who struck them – both sustained damage to their vehicles but remarkably did not require medical attention. Neither has been charged, as investigators continue examining the circumstances of the crash.
Connolly retired from the Brooklyn Park Police Department after serving the community for 20 years. Friends and former colleagues remembered him as someone who never stopped looking out for others, even after hanging up his badge.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to help Connolly’s family during this difficult time. The fundraiser has already attracted donations from community members who want to honor his memory and support those he left behind.
The Minnesota State Patrol is investigating the fatal crash. Authorities are reminding drivers to use extreme caution on icy roads and to slow down significantly when approaching accident scenes or stopped vehicles.
