Oklahoma: Hundreds run in honor of fallen OHP trooper

It's been almost a year since Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper Nicholas Dees was killed in the line of duty, and on Saturday hundreds gathered in Durant for a memorial run in his honor.

On what would have been Nicholas Dees 31st birthday, his wife, two daughters, and mother blew out the candles on his cake, and said their own silent wish.

"This is for Nicholas and Nicholas only," his mother Shelley Russell said, "and to spread the word about do not text and drive."

Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers gathered to honor one of their own. Lieutenant Scott Hampton met Dees when he trained at the academy.

"Just a tragedy that he's gone this soon," Hampton said. "He's too young."

Dees was killed last January while working an accident on Interstate 40. A driver paying attention to his phone and not the road struck and killed Dees.

Over 300 runners hit the streets of Durant in freezing temperatures to run in his honor. The money raised went back to a cause close to Dees' heart, law enforcement. Scholarships will be given to students pursing a career in criminal justice.

His widow Brandi Dees isn't surprised he's still serving others.

"There's just nobody like Nick, there's not," she said. "He was friend to everyone, he just, you would have never met anyone like him."

Dees death played a key role in jumping starting a no texting law that went into effect in Oklahoma last November. Dee's mother, Shelley Russell, said no law will be enough if you aren't following it. She hopes others heed her warning.

"I lost my only son to something that could have been preventable," she said, "and we need to start putting the phones down."