Generic filters
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Search in excerpt

Nevada Today

Nevada Today is a nonpartisan, independently owned and operated site dedicated to providing up-to-date news and smart analysis on the issues that impact Nevada's communities and businesses.

News and information

Slain Nevada Highway Patrol Sgt. Ben Jenkins Honored

Sgt. Ben Jenkins

ELY, Nev.  – Sergeant Ben Jenkins, a 12-year veteran of the Nevada Highway Patrol was shot and killed just before 6 A.M. Friday March 27, 2020 by a 65-year-old White Pine man. 

Sgt. Jenkins had stopped to assist a driver on US-93 at White Pine County mile marker 106, north of Ely when 65-year-old John Dabritz, shot the Patrol Sergeant, stole his uniform, then took off in the sergeant’s patrol vehicle, authorities said.

Dabrtiz was found several hours later near Cherry Creek, about 18 miles south from the scene of the shooting. He has a record of arrests going back to 1973. The weapon he used was not known.

Sgt. Jenkins was an Elko native who devoted his life to public service and to serving Nevadans. He began working for the Nevada Highway Patrol in March 2008 as a Trooper in Jackpot and was promoted to Sergeant in Elko in 2017.

Prior to NHP, he was a training officer for the Nevada State Fire Marshal Division, a crew supervisor for the Nevada Division of Forestry, an Assistant Fire Chief for the Spring Creek Volunteer Fire Department, and a veteran of both the Army National Guard and Air National Guard.

In 2011, Jenkins received the Nevada Department of Public Safety’s highest honor, the Gold Medal of Valor, which is presented to officers who perform an extraordinary act of heroism.

Sgt. Jenkins is survived by his wife, his mother, four children, and five grandchildren.

About Author

Michael McGreer Mesquite, Nevada
Dr. Michael Manford McGreer is managing editor of Nevada-today.com and writes on issues that impact public policy.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.