Memorial run held in Luzerne County to combat DUI

HANOVER TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Some Pennsylvania State Troopers trading in their traditional footwear for running shoes all for a cause.

About a dozen runners took off from the state police barracks near Wilkes-Barre for the second annual Trooper Kenton Iwaniec 5k Memorial Run.

Trooper Iwaniec was killed in 2008 on the way home from his shift in Chester County when a drunk driver slammed into his car.

Since then, the non-profit formed in the fallen trooper’s name has held annual runs like this. The goal is to combat a very dangerous and very avoidable danger on our roads.

“Well, I think that it’s one thing just to raise awareness but also to sort of energize these officers and say you know we’re really grateful for all of the work that they do to help remove impaired drivers from our roadways and to help keep our communities safe,” said Acacia Houck the sister of Tpr. Iwaniec.

“This is our way of kind of giving back to them as well. It raises money for their foundation which does a lot of awesome work,” added Tpr. Bill Evans the public information officer at Troop P.

The money raised will provide state and local law enforcement with preliminary breath testing devices.

More than one million dollars has been raised through the years.

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