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Sgt. Cory Wride's family looks at his memorial plaque, which was unveiled Tuesday, Jan., 30, 2024, in his honor on the 10th anniversary of his death in the line of duty. The monument is located near the location he was killed on state Route 73 between Eagle Mountain and Cedar Fort.

Courtesy Utah County Sheriff's Office

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Cory Wride

Courtesy Utah County Sheriff's Office

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A bench is unveiled as part of a monument for Sgt. Cory Wride on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, in honor of the 10th anniversary of his death in the line of duty. The monument is located near the location he was killed on state Route 73 between Eagle Mountain and Cedar Fort.

Courtesy Utah County Sheriff's Office

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An American flag is raised as part of the monument to honor and remember Sgt. Cory Wride. The monument was unveiled Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, on the 10th anniversary of Wride being killed in the line of duty. The monument is located near the location he was killed on state Route 73 between Eagle Mountain and Cedar Fort.

Courtesy Utah County Sheriff's Office

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A memorial site with two benches, a plaque and an American flag is unveiled on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, in honor of the 10th anniversary of Sgt. Cory Wride being killed in the line of duty. The monument is located near the location he was killed on state Route 73 between Eagle Mountain and Cedar Fort.

Courtesy Utah County Sheriff's Office

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A monument, middle, in honor and remembrance of Sgt. Cory Wride is unveiled Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, on the 10th anniversary of his death in the line of duty. The cross was placed there a few years ago as another monument to remember Wride. The monuments are located near the location he was killed on state Route 73 between Eagle Mountain and Cedar Fort.

Courtesy FollowTheFlag.org

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Sgt. Cory Wride, who served for the Utah County Sheriff’s Office’s Eagle Mountain division, was honored with a new memorial Tuesday on the 10-year anniversary of his death.

Wride was shot and killed in the line of duty on Jan. 30, 2014, when he stopped to help a pickup truck pulled over on the side of the road on state Route 73 between Eagle Mountain and Cedar Fort. The male passenger, Jose Angel Garcia Jauregui, shot and killed Wride when he returned to his patrol vehicle for some paperwork.

Deputy Greg Sherwood located the suspect vehicle and began a high-speed chase, during which Jauregui fired a gun, causing Sherwood to suffer a head wound and be taken to the hospital in critical condition. Sherwood recovered from his injuries.

Jauregui was shot and killed by law enforcement the same day after a high-speed chase. The driver of the vehicle was Meagan Grunwald, 17 years old at the time, and she was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Marking the anniversary, Eagle Mountain City stated on its website, “Since his death, Wride has been hailed as a hero by the UCSO and many communities around the state, especially in Eagle Mountain.” Wride is survived by his wife, Nanette Wride, and five children.

Over the past 10 years, Wride has been honored for his service through the renaming of S.R. 73 as “Cory B. Wride Memorial Highway,” Eagle Mountain City opening Cory B. Wride Memorial Park, a memorial case in honor of Wride being displayed in the Utah County Sheriff’s Office Eagle Mountain division at Eagle Mountain City Hall, and the Cory B. Wride memorial along S.R. 73 displaying two American Flags and Wride’s name and badge number.

On Tuesday, an addition to the memorial near the location where Wride was killed was unveiled. Wride’s family, law enforcement and community members gathered to see the new memorial and participate in the annual moment of silence at the memorial site. As people came to the service, they could see American flags lining the highway in honor of Wride. The 70 flags were set up for the service by Follow the Flag, a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring fallen officers and veterans.

The new memorial, sitting in the middle of the two existing memorials, which include a cross on one side and a memorial plaque on the other, has a cement pad with two benches where people can sit, a large memorial plaque with an engraved photo of Wride sharing how he died in the line of duty and a flag pole holding the American flag. Cement pads also were added around the base of the cross that was added to the memorial a few years ago.

Spokesperson Sgt. Spencer Cannon said the Sheriff’s Office chose to create this memorial because they wanted to keep Wride’s memory alive.

“The hope is that this is someplace that when people drive by, they can remember what happened there and what it was about and that it will be a place that if somebody wants to stop, they can read about what happened that day,” Cannon said. “Especially as time goes on, there will be fewer and fewer people who have actual memories of what happened that day, especially younger people, and we just wanted there to be some kind of a memorial in place there so that he could still be remembered.”

Cannon knew Wride and his family personally; he lived down the street from Wride’s parents and served with Wride. He remembers the feelings he had and the atmosphere of that fateful day 10 years ago. “It’s interesting because on a day like this, almost 10 years ago, that was incredibly difficult for everybody,” he said. “But a day like today, no doubt there were some tears shed, but there was a lot of laughter and smiles and good memories about how life has changed since then and what we’ve learned since then and what a privilege it was to be able to know Cory.”

Before the monument was unveiled by Wride’s family, including his parents, children, wife and siblings, Sgt. Garrett Dutson of the Eagle Mountain division, shared his sentiments: “As we unveil this monument, let us reflect on the selflessness of those who wear the uniform, putting their lives on the line to ensure our safety. Sgt. Wride’s legacy lives on through this monument, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to pay tribute to a true hero. Our sincere hope is that these monuments can provide a space for remembrance, reflection and community sport.”

As the family unveiled the benches and memorial plaque, they softly touched the picture of Wride as all were silent, and the flag behind the monument was raised shortly after. One bench has been engraved with Wride’s “end of watch” date, Jan. 30, 2014, and the other features his name and his call number, 1J150, with quotes on each bench as well.

“There were a lot of lives changed that day (the day Wride was killed). It was nice to have a different feeling there today,” Cannon told the Daily Herald. “Time may not completely heal the wounds that you feel, but it certainly takes away the sharpness of the pain and you’re able to get together and visit and laugh and smile and maybe shed some tears.” He added it was a good experience for all who wanted to be a part of honoring and remembering Wride.

When the monument was being created, the Sheriff’s Office asked one of its volunteer organizations, the Utah County Sheriff’s Honorary Colonels, to fund the project. However, as they began calling and visiting different businesses to have the benches and plaque created, almost every person, once learning it was for Wride’s memorial, donated their time and services.

According to Cannon, the entire monument would have cost around $8,000 to $10,000, and the Honorary Colonels offered to fund the remaining $800 for the flag pole and the gravel, meaning no taxpayer money went into the monument. It was all done by people who wanted to be a part of it, he said.

Cannon added, “We were not looking for donations. … So, it was heartwarming to see. Not only the fact that people still remembered what happened but (they) wanted to be a part of this effort to memorialize Cory.”

Wride is the second law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty with the Sheriff’s Office. They used to believe he was the first, but it was recently discovered that another officer was killed in 1931. No officers have been killed in the line of duty since.

A Purple Heart previously was awarded to Wride, and during Tuesday’s service, Sheriff Mike Smith said, “Cory’s legacy is one that other deputies should strive to emulate and one which will never be forgotten.”

He continued, “Cory has indeed been gone for 10 years, but he lives in our memories. Much has changed at the Sheriff’s Office over 10 years and many new deputies walk the halls of the office and patrol the streets of this county. With that said, I want the Wride family to know that those new deputies know who Sgt. Wride is. His tribute still hangs in our office, this memorial honors him, we use his taped teaching trainings in our trainings still today. We are proud of his courage and of his sacrifice; we are proud that Cory Wride is one of our brothers. It is an honor for us to pay tribute to Sgt. Wride on this 10-year memorial. Thank you, Wride family, for being here and allowing us to stand with you this day and every day in tribute to Sgt. Cory Wride.”

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