Procession Held for Berks County Officer Kristen Yeager After Fatal Crash
BERKS COUNTY, Pa. — A procession was held Monday night for Central Berks Regional Police Officer Kristen Yeager, who died in a car accident while on duty over the weekend, according to police.
Authorities reported that on Friday, Yeager was responding to an emergency request from a neighboring department when her patrol car left the roadway, entered a ditch, and struck a tree. Yeager, 39, succumbed to her injuries that night and is survived by her husband and three children.
The procession traveled from Reading Hospital to the police station, concluding at Lutz Funeral Home. Police requested that residents and businesses along the route turn their lights blue in tribute. Landmarks such as the Reading Pagoda and the Penn Street Bridge were illuminated in blue as well.
Yeager was a 2006 graduate of Shippensburg University, where she played field hockey. The university stated she earned a degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in administration of justice shortly thereafter. Yeager, originally from Reading, began her collegiate career in field hockey as a forward, transitioning to defense where she became a key player.
USA Field Hockey expressed condolences in a statement, noting it was “deeply saddened” by Yeager's passing, recognizing her contributions as a former standout athlete.