‘He wanted to matter’ | Father of late Carrollton police officer says his son was U.S. Marine, ‘defender of the underdog’

CARROLLTON, Texas — A Carrollton police officer and another driver were killed in a crash on the President George Bush Turnpike on Tuesday , and now we’re learning more about the officer from his family. Police identified the officer as Steve Nothem II, who was assisting a drunk-driving investigation when his squad car was hit by a passing driver’s vehicle. WFAA’s William Joy spoke with the officer’s father and namesake, Steve Nothem, on Wednesday.

Steve Nothem said before his son was a police officer, he served as a U. S. Marine and did two tours in Iraq.

“He did that because he wanted to matter. He wanted . .

. ,” Nothem said, as he choked up. “The Iraq war was young and dangerous, and he wanted to make his mark.

” RELATED: Carrollton police officer killed in crash with passing vehicle is identified Steve Nothem told WFAA that his son “was always the defender of the underdog” in high school. He went on to tell a story about how his son had a friend named Sam Lee, who had cystic fibrosis and was picked on in high school. Steve Nothem said his son would stand up for Lee and defend him from the bullies.

Steve Nothem II and Lee vowed together that Nothem II would fight for our country, while Lee fought for his life. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that causes problems with breathing and digestion, and it affects about 35,000 people in the United States, according to the CDC . “Steve got back from his first tour of Iraq to learn that Sam was pretty much on his death bed,” Steve Nothem told WFAA.

“Steve told Sam that he would name his son Sam, after him, and within an hour, his friend Sam died. That’s the kind of kid [Steve] was. ” Soldiers paying their respects @CarrolltonTXPD 🙏 https://t.

co/rt7IukEHEb pic. twitter. com/dJCQY3N3sC Steve Nothem said his son decided to become a police officer after his military career because, again, “he defends the underdog.

” He said his son served for about four years in Wisconsin before moving to Texas. “[Steve] chose Texas over the other warmer climate states because he felt that the police departments in Texas were more well-respected than other parts of the country,” Steve Nothem said. Steve Nothem said Carrollton police notified the Kiel, Wisc.

police, who then sent two officers to his house to deliver the heartbreaking news. “First thing I said was ‘it’s 4 a. m.

, who died’ and they said it was Steven,” he told WFAA. Steve Nothem said “if there’s anything that’s sort of comforting, it’s that he wasn’t killed by another drunk driver. ” He said his son “had a thing about keeping drunk drivers off the highway” because his aunt was killed by a drunk driver on Christmas Eve nearly a decade ago.

The Carrollton Police Department said Nothem II leaves behind a 13-year-old son, twin 6-year-old sons and a 1-year-old daughter. “He really, really loved his wife and kids. More than most husbands do,” Steve Nothem said.

“That was his whole life. That and his service, his community service. Those two things were it.

” More Texas headlines :.