MASON COUNTY, Mich. – Thursday the state remembered the death of State Trooper Paul K. Butterfield by naming a portion of M-116 in Mason County in his honor.
On Sept. 9, 2013, Butterfield was making a traffic stop on Custer Road north of Townline Road in Freesoil Township when he was shot to death by the motorist he was stopping.
Almost a year after Butterfield’s death, a bill was introduced to name a section of M-116 in his honor. This bill was passed by the Legislature and signed into law Thursday by Gov. Rick Snyder.
Butterfield’s fiancé, Jennifer Sielski, and his mother, Pat Butterfield, were present at the bill-signing ceremony along with Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole, Chief Deputy Steve Hansen, Deputy Jeremy King and Deputy Brandon Romero, who were close friends of Butterfield.
“I know I speak for the other three deputies when I say that we are truly humbled to have been invited here today,” Cole said. “The bond we shared with Paul while serving as law officers together was truly one of a kind. Paul was a man who always worked hard, maintained a positive attitude and was a modest individual. He didn’t became a lawman to receive accolades, he simply wanted to serve and protect his community because he had a heart of gold.”