Indiana State Rep. proposes to rename portion of U.S. 31 after fallen state trooper

INDIANAPOLIS –An Indiana State Representative from Whiteland wants to rename a section of highway after an Indiana State Police trooper who was struck and killed in 2023.

According to a news release, Indiana State Rep. Michelle Davis, R-Whiteland, presented a proposal during the Interim Study Committee on Roads and Transportation meeting to rename a section of U.S. 31 after Aaron Smith, a Franklin resident who was an Indiana State Police trooper.

In June 2023, Smith was deploying stop sticks on I-70 eastbound when he was struck by a vehicle that law enforcement was pursuing in Hendricks County, according to previous reports .

The release said that Davis would like to rename a stretch of U.S. 31 between Smith Valley Road and County Line Road in Johnson County after Smith. Smith is originally from Johnson County and graduated from Whiteland Community Hing School.

“State Trooper Aaron Smith embodied the true spirit of public service, dedicating his life to protecting others both in the military and as a member of the Indiana State Police,” Davis said in the release. “Trooper Smith went above and beyond in any duty that called. Renaming a portion of this road in his honor will stand as a lasting tribute to his remarkable commitment and the ultimate sacrifice he made in the line of duty.”

The release said the interim study committee is reviewing the proposal. If the committee supports the proposal, Davis said in the release she plans to file a formal resolution for consideration and adoption by the Indiana House of Representatives and Indiana Senate during the 2025 legislative session.

This comes after a memorial in honor of Smith is expected to be placed in Proctor Park, serving as a tribute to Smith as well as other first responders making an impact in Indiana.

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