Memorial signs unveiled during ceremony in Pleasanton

2 deputies, 1 DPS trooper slain in 1999 ambush

PLEASANTON – Three Atascosa county law enforcement officers were remembered as heroes during a ceremony at the Pleasanton Civic Center Tuesday.

The officers were slain in 1999. Two Atascosa County deputies, Thomas Monse and Mark Stephenson, were lured into an ambush and killed. Department of Public Safety Trooper Terry Miller was shot to death while coming to their aid.

Copies of highway signs, bearing the names of the three lawmen were unveiled as local civic and law enforcement officers, remembered them as peace officers who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

The sign honoring Miller will be erected on a 13-mile segment of Interstate 37. Signs honoring the deputies will be placed on two Atascosa County roads.

“You never know when it’s going to happen, when you’re required to put yourself in that position,” said Col. Steven McCraw, the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

McCraw was among those in attendance of the ceremony. The event also included speeches from State Rep. Ryan Guillen, Atascosa County Judge Robert Hurley and 81st District Attorney Rene Pena.

Commemorative flags were presented to the families of the slain lawmen.

“They do it because of their love of community and their love of people,” Deputy Monse’s widow, Mary Alice Monse, said. “They wanted to make a difference, and they did.”

Though the ceremony was held to honor the fallen officers, the ambush of police officers in Dallas last week clearly was on everyone’s minds.

“It’s tragic that anytime, any one of our officers could lose their life,(but at) the same point of time, we recognize that’s what they do,” McCraw said.

For Mary Alice Monse, it was personal as she spoke of the families of the fallen Dallas officers.

“Our heart goes out to them and we pray for them every day, because we know what they’re going through,” she said.                                                


 


About the Author:

Paul Venema is a courthouse reporter for KSAT with more than 25 years experience in the role.