A Nevada State Police trooper stopped Jonah Ayat late one evening on a Las Vegas freeway for speeding.
Ayat rolled down his window and came face-to-face with Trooper Alberto Felix. He was prepared for a ticket; instead he got a stern talking to by Felix.
“I got the dad version of him,” Ayat said Friday while speaking during Felix’s memorial service at Central Christian Church in Henderson.
Felix, 54, and Sgt. Michael Abbate were assisting a motorist who appeared to have fallen asleep in their vehicle Nov. 30 when they were hit by a vehicle driven by an impaired motorist and killed on Interstate 15 near J Street, police said.
Jemarcus Williams, 46, was booked at the Clark County Detention Center on two counts each of reckless driving resulting in death, DUI resulting in death and duty to stop at the scene of an accident involving death, police said.
Colleagues, family and elected officials spoke today about Felix’s dedication to keeping the community safe. They delivered a similar message: He loved his family, country and job.
That became evident to Ayat a few days after their encounter on the road. He ran into Felix at a grocery store, and the men continued their conversation, Ayat said.
They exchanged numbers, with Ayat saving Felix’s number in his phone as “Dad.”
When Ayat saw news reports about Felix’s death, he grabbed his phone and messaged the number. The message was received by Arlene Felix, the trooper’s wife, who asked him to speak at the memorial.
“I’m moved to be here and sorry for your loss,” Ayat said.
Felix was born in the Philippines and spent more than two decades in the U.S. Air Force. After retiring from the military, Felix at age 50 decided to attend the police academy in 2019 so he could join the Nevada State Police.
He joined cadets more than 20 years younger. But Trooper Martin Moran said nobody in their class could match Felix’s energy.
“He was not ready to throw in the towel,” said Moran, who became close friends with Felix. “He pushed us and showed us the way.”
The other cadets became Felix’s “children,” Moran said. He was a great listener and seemed to always have the right answers, he said.
“He had been there, done that and wrote the book about it,” Moran said.
Trooper Travis Perkins said Felix was passionate about traffic safety and determined to take impaired drivers off Nevada highways. It was part of his mantra of making the community safe for everyone.
Alberto Felix
“Now it’s our turn to take the mantle and look out for each other and help those in need,” Perkins said.
Alyssa Belle Felix said the picture of her father in his trooper’s uniform displayed at the church didn’t do him justice.
He had the stern look of a trooper on his face.
“He has a beautiful smile, and it’s not just an ordinary smile,” said Alyssa, the oldest of his three children. “When he smiles, you can feel kindness and comfort and (sense) everything will be OK. His dad energy made you feel safe.”
Felix and Abbate, whose memorial is Monday at the same church, were awarded the Nevada State Police Medal of Valor for their acts of courage.
“Alberto was the best of the best,” said Michael Kitchen, a pastor at Central Christian. “He dedicated his entire live to serving our community and our country.”
A procession from Palm South Jones Mortuary traveled down Interstate 15 to the 215 Beltway and U.S. 95 on the way to the church at Russell Road.
At each highway overpass, law enforcement officers and other first responders stood and saluted.
The church was packed with supporters. Alyssa emotionally thanked them for providing a fitting tribute to her father.
Gov. Joe Lombardo was also in attendance and said Felix’s bravery and courage had a tremendous impact on the community.
“We must rally around the Felix family and our brothers and sisters in law enforcement,” said Lombardo, the former Clark County sheriff.