'Purple Heart' soldier, MSU faculty member struck, killed helping stranded motorist

A decorated U.S. Army soldier who stopped to help a stranded motorist on Interstate 44 was struck and killed Thursday.

Aaron J. Eidem, 37, was driving on the interstate Thursday evening, shortly after sunset, when he saw the disabled vehicle, parked his car and got out to help, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Eidem was five miles west of Springfield, likely headed to his home in Webb City.

"He was a good Samaritan," said Patrol Sgt. Jason Pace. "He stopped and was helping a vehicle with a flat tire."

Pace said the vehicle with the flat tire was on the inside shoulder of the westbound lanes of Interstate 44 and, according to a responding officer, Eidem was planning to help the motorist move the disabled vehicle to the right shoulder, which was perceived to be safer.

A Peterbilt tractor-trailer driven by Thomas Fruth, of Ohio, was also going west on Interstate 44 when it came up behind, and struck, an empty Toyota Avalon — Eidem's parked vehicle.

According to the patrol, the impact of the tractor-trailer forced the parked Toyota to strike Eidem, who was listed as a pedestrian in the report.

The patrol reported the tractor-trailer then went on to hit a 2002 Ford Explorer driven by Keely Keepper, 19, of Greenfield. Keepper's vehicle then struck a separate, unknown tractor-trailer.

Eidem, who had a wife and three children, was taken to Cox South Hospital in Springfield, where he died shortly before 8 p.m.

No other injuries were reported.

For the past 20 years, Eidem has been active duty in the U.S. Army. He was ranked a captain.

He has been an adjunct faculty member and assistant professor of military science at Missouri State University since mid-2014.

Victor Matthews, dean of the College of Health and Human Services at MSU, described Eidem as a "highly respected leader developer."

He said Eidem was recently recognized for the "quality of his work" by the 41 regional Reserve Officers' Training Corps, or ROTC programs.

"He served his country for almost 20 years as a military police officer and instructor," Matthews wrote, in a statement. "He deployed to combat three times, earning the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

"He leaves behind his wife, children and family.”

Scott Morris, professor of military science, said Eidem's deployments were in Iraq and that he also served in Germany.

Morris said Eidem, a Colorado native who was also raised in Washington, was well liked and respected. He called Eidem a "subject-matter expert" and effective mentor to MSU students interested in military service.

"He cared about the kids and wanted them to be leaders of character," he said.

Morris said Eidem was a hardworking "teammate" and cannot be replaced.

"This is an officer with almost 20 years experience so what he brought to the classroom was exceptional," Morris said. "The students respected him."

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