Dedications honor fallen troopers

CORALVILLE (AP) ? Officials will dedicate two bridges in eastern Iowa to honor two Iowa State Patrol troopers who died in the line of duty.

The bridges will be dedicated Wednesday in honor of Troopers Allen Nieland and Harold DeGear.

Nieland died Oct. 14, 1990, when the plane he was flying crashed while he was helping other troopers locate a robbery suspect.

DeGear died Feb. 19, 1954, of injuries he received the night before when he was struck by a vehicle while he was issuing a citation for another motorist.

Both bridges cross the Iowa River in the Coralville area.

The dedications are part of a statewide effort to honor the 10 troopers who died while serving the state during the patrol?s 77-year history.