A hero's highway
Dedication to rename Loop 121 section after fallen deputy is March 9
DAVID STONE | OUR TOWN TEMPLE
A Bell County deputy tragically killed nearly three years ago while on duty will be honored March 9 at the dedication of a section of Loop 121 renamed in his honor.
The ceremony will be at 10 a.m. in the 200 block of West Loop 121 in Belton. Signs are being erected marking a section of the loop as Deputy Sheriff John Rhoden Memorial Highway.
Rhoden was killed April 26, 2020, while attempting to deploy spike strips during the pursuit of a stolen car, according to Chief Deputy TJ Cruz.
“The pursuit had started in Williamson County and proceeded down I-35 to Bell County,” he said. “Deputy Rhoden was preparing to deploy spike strips near Exit 294 when he was struck by a tractor-trailer.”
The fleeing driver of the stolen vehicle was later identified and charged with murder, and he is in Bell County Jail awaiting trial.
Rhoden was a 10-year veteran of the Bell County Sheriff’s Office.
A bill to designate a portion of Loop 121 in Rhoden’s honor was introduced by State Rep. Hugh Shine, and it took effect Sept. 1, 2021.
Funding for the new signage designating the roadway as a salute to Rhoden was provided through donations and the Bell County Sheriff’s Office Foundation, Cruz said.
“I introduced the legislation to honor Deputy Rhoden,” Shine said Thursday evening. “The men and women of law enforcement put their lives on the line for us every day, and I wanted to honor him for that. He died performing his duties — he was assisting Williamson County deputies who were trying to catch a car thief. We need to remember him.”
“We have a duty to recognize men and women who serve us in this capacity and the least we can do is create a memorial in Deputy John Rhoden’s memory,” Shine added.
Shine will be speaking at the March 9 dedication.
Bell County Sheriff Eddy Lange said Rhoden served the department and the community with honor.
“This dedication is a great way to pay tribute to him and his sacrifice,” Lange said. “Most people will drive that stretch of road without ever noticing the designation, but to his family and the people who loved him, it will be a lasting celebration of his life and legacy.”
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