Courtney Dodson joked at Dustin Dodson's funeral Thursday her husband (and childhood sweetheart) was something of a know-it-all who could fix anything. Now she's got a broken heart.
"He was a most loving husband and father and everyone around him knew that," said Courtney Dodson. "I love him with all my heart."
Dodson's father, Mark said of his son, "He was proud when nhe put on that uniform. He was one of those police officers who threw his chest out. He wanted to go to work. He wanted to be one of our finest and he was."
"Dustin was proud to serve the citizens of Lancaster as a police officer. He wore the uniform with pride. The Lancaster Police Department lost an excellent officer, friend and family member," said Chief Larry Flatt, with the Lancaster Police Department.
Lancaster city manager Opal Mauldin Robertson told NBC 5 since Dodson did not die in the line of duty, his wife and three kids will miss out on tens of thousands of dollars in state benefits. For that reason, the city of Lancaster has set up the "Dustin Dodson Trust Fund" which people can donate to at any Chase Bank.
Dodson was riding his motorcycle home early Saturday morning on U.S. Highway 67 when 22-year old Ricardo Espinoza allegedly hit him and kept on driving. Espinoza was arrested a short time later. Dodson died later that night in a Fort Worth hospital. Police said he was wearing his helmet at the time of the crash.
