Community members who were not able to attend Trooper Nipper's funeral Friday afternoon still found a way to pay their respects.
As the procession made its way through Temple, people stopped on the side of the road to pay their respects.
Temple Towing and Ward's Towing raised an American flag and a Texas flag over the 57th Street bridge in Temple as the procession passed by.
"We're doing this to remember the trooper who lost his life in a tragic accident," Don Ward, owner of Ward's Towing, said.
As cars drive by before the procession, Don Ward from Ward Towing and Bruce Winkler, vice president of Temple Towing, raised a flag.
"We want to show the community and law enforcement fire department, all of the folks that we really do support this cause," Winkler said.
For Ward and Winkler, raising the flag over the bridge for Trooper Nipper seemed more personal.
Both have known Nipper for about 20 years.
"We would go to an accident scene and he would be there," Ward said.
Both said they understand the grief the law enforcement family is feeling.
"We lost a tow truck driver in Killeen this year. just a distracted driver not paying attention and that's what happened here," Ward said.
As the flags blew in the wind, others walked over to watch the procession from the bridge.
"I noticed the flags and I felt compelled to come up here," Joe Keller, who walked over to see the procession, said.
On the Adams Avenue bridge, the Temple Fire Department also raised an American flag during the procession.
Several people stopped, realizing the procession was for Trooper Nipper, a man they wanted to thank.
"Thank you for his service, that he put his life on the line for us. and there's nothing we could do to repay that family," Francisco Gutierrez, a man who stopped to pay his respects, said.
Brad Marzari also stopped near Adams Avenue.
"Remember that his service is honored by his fellow troopers and by the public in general," Marzari said.
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