Garrett business offering yard signs to honor fallen Trooper, benefit memorial fund

GARRETT, Ind. (WPTA) - A locally-owned business in Garrett has created shirts and signs in memory of the ISP Master Trooper who was killed in the line of duty on Friday, donating a portion of the sales to his memorial fund.

BACKGROUND: Remembering Master Trooper Bailey

Hometown Graphics is joining other businesses in 21Country like Auburn Dairy Freeze, who are donating a portion of their sales to benefit the Master Trooper James Bailey Memorial Fund.

“For me, it’s the best way that I can use my platform for what I do and creating these products, it’s a way that I can help bring in more donations,” Cassie Evans said.

Evans is the owner of Hometown Graphics. She says she wanted to help honor Master Trooper Bailey and support his fund.

“I never like the circumstances that it’s under, but I am grateful that we’re able to provide that product and that service to the community to help remember people and to bring in donations,” Evans said.

In a Facebook post, Hometown Graphics says yard signs honoring Master Trooper Bailey are available for pickup starting Tuesday. They will also be selling blue line apparel, which shows support for police.

Evans says 100% of the proceeds from the signs will be donated to Master Trooper Bailey’s memorial fund.

The Indiana State Police set up the memorial fund to honor Bailey, who was hit and killed by Terry Dewaine Sands II on March 3.

State Police records show Bailey was a decorated trooper. In 2021, Bailey earned the “Combat Action Award” while responding to a car chase that ended in Kendallville. Bailey was pinned down by gunfire but returned fire and kept the suspect in place until SWAT officers could arrive and make an arrest.

Bailey is survived by his wife, son and daughter. The family resides in Auburn.

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