Remembrance Ceremony Planned for Late Police Officer Chris Yung

A ceremony in honor of the late Prince William County Police Officer Chris Yung is planned for New Year's Eve. 

The ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. at the site of his death, at the intersection of Piper Lane and Nokesville Road, in front of the Super Target just outside Manassas, according to a Facebook events page created for the ceremony. 

Yung died of blunt force trauma on Dec. 31, 2012. He was responding to a police incident when a car traveling North on Nokesville Road turned left onto Piper Lane and into the path of his motorcycle. 

The driver of the 2001 Dodge Caravan, 70-year-old Margaret Luecke of Gainesville, was charged with reckless driving in connection with the crash.

She told lawyers in the case she was on her way to the nail salon with her daughter at the time of the crash.  In July, Luecke pleaded no contest to the charges and a judge ordered her to serve 200 hours of community service.

The New Year's Eve ceremony for Yung begins at 7 p.m. Tethered balloons with LED lights will be handed out, but not released because the area is in Manassas Regional Airport airspace and the balloons could be dangerous to aircraft.  Participants are urged to take them home and tie them outside as memorial to Yung.  

Questions about the event should be directed to Jeanette Ryan at njkeene1989@gmail.com. 

Luecke also received a 12-month prison term, with all time suspended, probation and was ordered to pay a $2,500 fine and court costs.  Lueckes driver's license was also suspended for six months. 

Yung had his motorcycle lights and sirens turned on as he entered the intersection, traveling between 72 and 80 miles per hour. 

Witnesses told the lawyers in the case that Yung saw the accident coming and leaned to the side to try to avoid it. 

Luecke said her daughter screamed for her to stop the car, but it was too late. 
Yung's family, prosecutors and the defense team all agreed Luecke shouldn't serve jail time.  She had no criminal record and a clean driving record.