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SOUTH SALT LAKE — A funeral will be held next week for a South Salt Lake police officer who died from injuries after he was struck by a vehicle while responding to a burglary case Saturday evening.
The funeral for David Romrell, 31, will be held Dec. 5 at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, South Salt Lake police said on Facebook Wednesday night.
A public viewing will be held from 9:00-10:30 a.m., with the funeral service starting at 11 a.m.
A candlelight vigil in honor of Romrell will be held on Sunday, Dec. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at the Columbus Community Center, 2531 S. 400 East. An account* has been set up at America First Credit Union to for those who would like to donate to Romrell's family, South Salt Lake police said.
Romrell was one of two officers who responded to a burglary in progress at a business located near 3575 S. West Temple about 5:30 p.m. Saturday. When they arrived at the business, South Salt Lake police detective Gary Keller said there was a confrontation between the officers and two men they encountered in a car.
Keller said the driver, Felix Anthony Calata, 32, of West Valley City, then accelerated the car and struck Romrell with it before Calata was shot and killed by police. Romrell was taken to Intermountain Medical Center, where he was taken into immediate surgery. He was pronounced dead Saturday night.
Jeffery Black, 43, was arrested Monday on suspicion of homicide in Romrell's death and other charges in connection with the initial burglary police were responding to, Keller said.
South Salt Lake Police Chief Jack Carruth said Romrell had been with the department for nearly a year and had served in the Marines prior to that. He added that Romrell left behind a wife and a 4-month-old child. He was the first officer to die in the line of duty in South Salt Lake’s 80-year history.
After the funeral service, Romrell will be laid to rest at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 East Dimple Dell Road, in Sandy.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
