Conservation Officer Porter was struck and killed by a train while checking fishing licenses along the Weber River near Stoddard, Utah. He moved from one set of tracks to another set as a train approached. As a result of the noise of the train, he did not hear another train approaching from the opposite direction on the set of tracks he just stepped onto. He was struck by the oncoming Union Pacific railroad train.

Officer Porter had served with the Division of Wildlife Resources for 20 years. We was survived by his wife, four daughters, two sons and 13 grandchildren.