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Funeral arrangements have been made for Porter County Sheriff’s Police Officer Phillip Pratt, who died on Wednesday in an off-duty traffic accident in Washington Township.

Visitation will be held from 2 to 8 p.m. Monday, May 21, at Liberty Bible Church, 824 N. Calumet Ave.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 22, at Liberty Bible Church, with burial to follow at Angel Crest Cemetery.

Pratt, 24, was a Chesterton native, a 2006 graduate of Chesterton High School, and a recipient of the Tim Hecht Scholarship, named for the PCSP officer who died in 1999 in a SWAT Team training exercise.

Pratt graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington in 2009, with a double major in criminal justice and sociology and joined the PCSP as a patrol officer in June 2009.

“On behalf of Officer Pratt’s police family, I want to extend our heartfelt sympathy to Phil’s mother, father, brothers, fiancé, and their extended families,” Sheriff David Lain said in a statement released on Thursday. “The loss of a skilled and dedicated member of our profession will leave more than just an empty space on our roster. The absence of a bright, compassionate, and promising young friend leaves a void in our department’s spirit.”

“We also recognize and appreciate the outpouring of warm thoughts and prayers from our community as well as other members of our public safety professions,” Lain added. You have truly helped to carry us over some extremely difficult terrain. From all of us, ‘Thank you.’”

At 12:48 p.m. Wednesday, Pratt was westbound on Ind. 2 when he collided with a pickup truck eastbound on Ind. 2 and turning left onto northbound C.R. 450E. He died of his injuries at 1:15 p.m. at Porter hospital.

Phillip Ryan Pratt, 24, of Valparaiso, passed away Wednesday, May 16, 2012.

He was born October 1, 1987 to Nick and Diana (Foddrill) Pratt, of Valparaiso, Ind.

He graduated from Chesterton High School in 2006 and the Indiana University Police Academy in 2008.

Survivors include his parents, Nick and Diana Pratt, brothers Jason Nicholas (Robyn) Pratt of Indonesia, Nathan William (Lori) Pratt of Valparaiso, fiancé Taylor Tice and her mother, Tammy Tice, brother, Jake Tice and the Burton family, grandmother Marie Zappe of Hobart, grandfather Jack Foddrill of Tennessee, nephew Masen Pratt, nieces Samantha and Abigail Pratt, many loving friends, and his loyal Akita/Shepherd mix, “Dexter.”

Phil had served with the Indiana University Police Department while on campus and was currently a Patrolman with the Porter County Sheriff’s Police where he had served since June 22, 2009. He was a member of Porter County Conservation Club, attended Liberty Bible Church, enjoyed paintball and target shooting, and had been heavily involved in Motocross as a teen.

A visitation will be held Monday, May 21, from 2 – 8 p.m. at Liberty Bible Church Sacred Grounds Sanctuary (enter doors “A” or “B”), 824 N. Calumet Ave., Chesterton. Funeral service Tuesday, May 22, at 10:00 a.m. in the church’s main sanctuary, Chaplain Jay Birky officiating, with burial to follow at Angelcrest Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to C.O.P.S. (Concerns of Police Survivors) or M.A.F. (Mission Aviation Fellowship). MoellerFuneralHome.com