News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Local & Bistate

Those who served

The new memorial includes six members of the Vigo County Sheriff’s Department who lost their lives in the line of duty. They are:

Deputy John M. Cleary died April 9, 1892. Cleary was shot four times by a burglary suspect on June 8, 1977, after arresting a man for an overnight break-in at the Roberts & Hickey grocery store at Eighth and Poplar streets. Cleary had the 20-year-old suspect in custody when the suspect pulled a gun from his pocket and shot Cleary in the chest and abdomen. The critically wounded deputy was carried to his home and “given whiskey and opiates,” according to the newspaper. He recovered, and later returned to work. Almost a year later, Cleary located the same suspect inside a house at Fifth and Eagle streets. As Cleary and other deputies closed in, the fugitive again shot Cleary — this time in the leg and head. Cleary was able to subdue the suspect despite his wounds, and he again recovered and returned to the police force. He was elected Vigo County Sheriff from 1883 to 1887. Cleary carried a bullet in his chest from the first shooting, and it caused him chronic problems. That bullet was credited for causing his death in 1892. He was buried at St. Joseph Cemetery.

Deputy Peter J. Feiler was shot on election day — Nov. 3, 1914 — when he was investigating a report of a man with a gun at the 15th and Ash polling place. The suspect fired at the approaching Feiler, who was wounded in the abdomen. The 31-year-old deputy was able to subdue the shooter, but he died Nov. 13, 1914, and was buried at St. Joseph Cemetery. Then-Sheriff Dennis Shea described Feiler as “a brave man who gave his life while attempting to arrest a man he knew was armed.”

Chief Deputy Paul Mankin was shot and killed July 16, 1936 as he tried to apprehend two robbery suspects near the U.S. 40 river bridge. The 40-year-old deputy was struck in the chest and died instantly. Both suspects were apprehended by police, with one sentenced to life in prison and the man who shot Mankin being executed in Indiana’s electric chair 17 months later. Mankin was buried in Bethesda Cemetery. His son William, who was 12 years old at the time is father died, still resides in Terre Haute, and contributed a photo of his father for the memorial project.

Sgt. Kevin Artz was shot and killed July 1, 1987, while responding to a domestic dispute. After deputies arrived at the scene, they learned of an armed suspect inside the home. Deputies went to a rear door of the house to speak to the suspect, who drew a pistol without warning and began firing at police. Artz was killed, and the suspect was wounded. The suspect later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Artz was buried at Roselawn Memorial Park, and is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Correctional Officer Aaron Michael Schoffstall died Nov. 28, 2000 while assisting another deputy at an auto accident on an ice-covered bridge across the Wabash River on Indiana 63. Schoffstall had been directing traffic on the bridge when an approaching vehicle lost control on the ice, resulting in Schoffstall falling from the bridge to his death. He had been with the department for two years. He was buried at Roselawn Memorial Park, and is survived by his wife Sara and daughter Baylie. His mother Jena was at Thursday’s ceremony.

Deputy Enrico Aquino Garcia Jr. died Sept. 23, 2007, of a sudden heart attack while training with Task Force 7 — a multi-jurisdictional emergency response team from eight  Indiana counties. Garcia was serving with Indiana Homeland Security as an emergency responder for hazardous materials, weapons of mass destruction and counter-terrorism response. Garcia had been a public safety professional for more than 21 years, and had served as a special deputy with the Vigo County Sheriff’s Department for five years. Survivors include his wife and sons. His father, Dr. Enrico Garcia, also attended the memorial dedication.

Related Photos

  • Photo of a lasting memory: Jenna Schoffstall, the mother of the late Aaron Schoffstall, takes a photo of his plaque, which is now part of the Vigo County Sheriff's Department Memorial at the sheriff's department.

    MET 051712 VCSD SCHOFFSTAL.jpg

  • For the one's who made the ultimate sacrifice: The new Vigo County Sheriff's Department Memorial at the sheriff's office.

    MET 051712 VCSD MEMORIAL.jpg

  • E.O.W.: Vigo County Sheriff Greg Ewing reads a description of each of the sheriff's deputies who were killed in the line of duty and their End of Watch date during the dedication of the Sheriff's Memorial on Thursday.

    MET 051712 VCSD 01EWING.jpg

  • Commissioned this day: The plaque that is attached to the wall under the new Vigo County Sheriff's Department Memorial.

    MET 051712 VCSD PLAQUE.jpg

  • "Blessed are the peacemakers...": Vigo County Sheriff's Special Deputy and Chaplain Jeff Lee (right) reads a passage of scripture from the Bible during the dedication ceremony of the new Vigo County Sheriff's Department Memorial on Thursday at the sheriff's department.

    MET 051712 VCSD LEE.jpg

  • E.O.W. 1914: This plaque featuring Deputy Peter J. Feiler is now part of the new Vigo County Sheriff's Department Memorial at the sheriff's department.

    MET 051712 VCSD FEILER.jpg

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable as well as posts that are attacking other users. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.
comments powered by Disqus
May 18, 2012

Vigo Sheriff's Department honors six brave men

Memorial unveiled to those who died in the line of duty

Lisa Trigg The Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — The public saw a new memorial unveiled Thursday to respect, honor and remember those in the Vigo County Sheriff’s Department who have died in the line of duty.

Colorful flags surround plaques that tell the story of the six men who have died since 1892 as a result of their service to the public.

“I felt it was very fitting to have a place where people could reflect about these six brave men and their sacrifice,” Sheriff Greg Ewing said after reading brief accounts about the officers.

 The memorial is in the lobby of the Vigo County Jail outside the doors to the sheriff’s office. A crew from Deer Ridge Woodcraft in West Terre Haute designed and crafted the memorial.

“In the past, we didn’t have any one centralized location to honor our fallen deputies,” Ewing said last week as the parts of the memorial were fastened to the lobby wall. Some individual plaques, memorials and signs are located around the county jail property, Ewing said, but he felt that a unified memorial is more appropriate.

Wade Biggs of Deer Ridge Woodcraft said the design phase of the memorial began last September, and construction began in January. The memorial features crossed flags made from the wood of a single maple tree. The flags span nine feet from the tip of the American flag to the Indiana state flag.

A carved and steam-bent sheriff’s badge covered in 22-carat gold leaf, sets atop the flags. Behind the badge is a time capsule containing information about the memorial and the sheriff’s department.

The weight of the flags and star is 126 pounds. The maple wood came from western Vigo County, while the sheriff’s badge is made of ash from central Indiana.

Above the flags is a banner declaring “Respect, Honor, Remember,” and below the flags is a plaque commissioning the memorial.

“We knew we wanted the banner,” Biggs said of the design phase, “but it took a while to figure out the wording for it.”

He also included as part of the flags a solitary star near the bottom to represent the deputies who have been separated from their comrades.

Six plaques honoring the six deputies who fell in the line of duty flank the flags and badge. Each plaque has a photo of the deputy and tells a portion of his story. Chief Deputy Clark Cottom said he researched some of the information several years ago at the direction of former Sheriff Bill Harris, who had hoped to create a memorial display.

Cottom did his research in the Vigo County Public Library. The six men on the display are Deputy John M. Cleary, Deputy Peter J. Feiler, Chief Deputy Paul Mankin, Sgt. Kevin Artz, Correctional Officer Aaron Michael Schoffstall, and Deputy Enrico Aquino Garcia Jr.

Sheriff Ewing gave special recognition to the staff of Deer Ridge Woodcraft for the work that went into the project.

“I just think it’s a beautiful, fitting memorial for those who gave their life to protect us,” he said.

Ewing had just returned this week from the annual National Police Week memorial ceremony in Washington, D.C. The national memorial now includes the name of Terre Haute Police Officer Brent D. Long, who was killed in the line of duty July 11, 2011 while attempting to serve a federal warrant on a fugitive.



Reporter Lisa Trigg can be reached at (812) 231-4254 or lisa.trigg@tribstar.com. Follow her on Twitter @TribStarLisa.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local & Bistate
Latest News
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
AP Video
Raw: Trucker Bumps I-5 Bridge Before Collapse Raw: Texas Deputy Shot by Colo. Suspect Honored Suspect in Killing of Officer Found Dead in Cell Major Detours Following Wash. Bridge Collapse American Held in Grisly Czech Murders Raw: Jersey Shore Reopens for Summer Today in History May 25 High Wire Spectacle Thrills Crowd in Austria Officials: Tsarnaev Friend Linked to Slaying UK-bound Pakistan Plane Diverted, 2 Men Arrested Britain Braces for Possible Copycat Attacks Bus Fire Kills 16 Children, Teacher in Pakistan Raw Video: Washington State Bridge Collapse ShowBiz Minute: Shelton, King, Lopez Raw: Gay Rights Activists March in Ukraine Obama:Sexual Assault Threatens Trust in Military Today in History May 24 Raw: Memorial Day Flags Placed at Arlington New Wheelchair Lift Promises More Access A Slice of Apple History Up for Grabs
NDN Video
Raw: Apple 1 Computer Sells for More Than $650k Young protestor goes viral on Youtube High Wire Spectacle Thrills Crowd in Austria Toronto Mayor says he's not a crack head Maine island offers lighthouse getaway Suspect in Killing of Officer Found Dead in Cell Should We Prepare for Quakes? Lynn Kindergarten Class Rescues Ducklings Congressional gold medal awarded to civil rights heroes Charles Ramsey visits Kentucky Unique Display Greets Guests At Revel Casino Cape Cod Train Service Worries Residents BASE jumper rides snowmobile off cliff to honor dead friend Bridge Collapse Survivor: 'Rough Day' SHOCKING: School Guard Throws Girl Down Stairs Star Wars X-Wing Star Fighter Made of Legos Actress Amanda Bynes Arrested in New York Singer Psy Has An Imposter President Obama Heckled at National Security Speech Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air
Parade
Magazine
Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

     

    March 12, 2010

activity
Real Estate News