SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 32
(By Senators Helmick, Ross, Unger, Schoonover, Love, Anderson,
Kessler and Edgell)
Requesting the Division of Highways to name the Knapps Creek
Bridge six miles east of Marlinton, Pocahontas County, the
"Trooper Douglas Wayne Bland Memorial Bridge".
Whereas, Trooper Bland was twenty-six years old and a three- year veteran with the West Virginia State Police at the time of
his death in January, 1999; and
Whereas, Trooper Bland served in the Elkins, Webster Springs
and Marlinton Detachments and resided with his wife Collette in
Greenbrier County; and
Whereas, Trooper Bland was dispatched by Pocahontas County
911 to a vehicle accident the evening of January 18, 1999; and
when he did not arrive at the dispatched accident scene or
responded to his car phone, a search party was sent out. A
civilian employee with the Pocahontas County Sheriff's Department
discovered Trooper Bland's gold and blue cruiser upside down in
Knapps Creek; and
Whereas, Trooper Bland was transported to Pocahontas County Hospital where he was pronounced dead the nextearly the next morning;
therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature hereby requests the Division of
Highways to name the Knapps Creek Bridge six miles east of
Marlinton, Pocahontas County, the "Trooper Douglas Wayne Bland
Memorial Bridge"; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby
directed to forward a copy of this resolution to Mrs. Collette
Bland, the West Virginia State Police and the capitol press
corps.