Mourners Gather To Honor Fallen Oklahoma Trooper Nicholas Dees

BROKEN BOW, Oklahoma - Hundreds of Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers joined family and friends to say goodbye to one of their own Saturday.

Dees, 30, was killed while investigating a semi accident on Interstate 40 on January 31, 2015. He had served with OHP for about 18 months and was the son of a retired trooper.

Funeral services for Trooper Nicholas Dees began at noon at Broken Bow High School, where every single seat was taken and people stood shoulder to shoulder in every space inside the building just to pay their respects.

Read Nicholas Glenn Dees Obituary

His father, retired OHP Trooper Bruce Dees, spoke at the service. He said he felt the loss both as a father and as a former law enforcement officer.

Dees' lifelong dream was to be a trooper, according to his wife Brandi, in a statement read at the service. She thanked the Oklahoma Highway Patrol for meeting the family's every need since his death. She also thanked people who have written and said kind things about her husband.

Brandi Dees said she is overwhelmed by the support she and her family have received during their time of grief.

The family was escorted by troopers throughout the entire ceremony -- to the funeral, during the service and to the grave site.

Trooper Keith Burch, who also was investigating the jack-knifed semi when a car hit both men, remains in the hospital with serious injuries. Burch wrote a letter that was read at the service, and he was able to watch the funeral through a private TV feed in his hospital room.

“I love him,” Burch said. “I miss him. He was my best friend. I know he is checking on me right now because you can't be sick without a call from him making sure you're OK."

2/6/2015 Related Story: Seminole Co. DA Builds Case Against Driver In Fatal Trooper-Involved Crash

Police have arrested the driver of the car they say hit Dees and Burch. Steven Wayne Clark, is jailed in Seminole County on a first-degree manslaughter complaint and will go before a judge on Monday.

Authorities say Clark was distracted when he hit and killed the trooper, but they have not said what he was doing that caused the distraction.

Dees is survived by his wife, Brandi Rudisill Dees; daughters Claire and Piper Dees and other family members.