Memorial dedicated to Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Cory Wride vandalized


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AMERICAN FORK — Police were looking Monday for those responsible for vandalizing a memorial dedicated to one of Utah County's fallen heroes.

A monument in Robinson Park dedicated to Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Cory Wride was damaged recently. Wride was shot and killed in the line of duty on Jan. 30, 2014.

The granite face of the memorial that has Wride's name and picture engraved into it was cracked in several places and had dents and scuffs, as if someone used a rock to smash or hit the memorial several times.

The damage was discovered Saturday morning by Wride's father, Blake Wride, who was visiting the memorial. Police on Monday were working to determine the last time the monument was seen undamaged.

To crack the granite face, police say someone would have had to have thrust a hard object with a great deal of force into the memorial.

"We think this is an intentional act of vandalism," American Fork Police Lt. Sam Liddiard said. "It is a shame that someone has damaged this memorial to such a fine man, such a wonderful officer for Utah County, someone who has served the public."

The vandalism "is something that we take very seriously," Liddiard said, "and we would like to find out anything that we can about what happened. … We are asking for the public's help to give us a hand."

Liddiard called the vandalism a "senseless act."

Whether the vandalism was random or committed by someone specifically targeting Wride or police was not known Monday.

Repairing the memorial will cost an estimated $400, Liddiard said.

The monument was unveiled next to the park's playground on the one-year anniversary of Wride's death. Wride grew up in American Fork.

Anyone with information can call police at 801-763-3020.

Contributing: Sam Penrod

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