Clayton Connolly Killed While Assisting Motorist in Elk River, Minnesota – December 18, 2025 Incident Details

The death of retired Brooklyn Park police officer Clayton Connolly highlights the inherent risks faced by those who continue to serve their communities beyond active duty. Connolly, 53, of Nowthen, was fatally struck on the morning of December 17, 2025, while assisting a stranded motorist in downtown Elk River, Minnesota. The incident occurred around 6:30 a.m. on Main Street near the ramp from northbound Highway 169, during icy roadway conditions in Sherburne County.

According to authorities, Connolly was helping at the scene when a vehicle driven by a 30-year-old Minnetonka man lost control and struck him. Connolly was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Investigators reported no initial indication of impairment on the part of the driver. A former Brooklyn Park police officer who served from 1999 until his retirement in 2014, Clayton Connolly was remembered by colleagues and community members as consistently selfless, deeply connected to his community, and committed to helping others. He is survived by his wife and two children.