KSP to honor 6 fallen troopers

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) — Kentucky State Police are set to honor six fallen troopers on Thursday.

Troopers Harold J. Toll, James W. McNeely, Bobby A. McCoun Jr., Eric K. Chrisman; Water Patrol Officer David Thomas Childs; and Officer Jason Cammack will have wreaths placed at their gravesites by KSP troopers.

Troopers will begin at the Frankfort Cemetery at 10 a.m. for Cammack and Childs, then move to Post 12 at the flag pole for McNeely.

At 4 p.m. KSP will move to the Lawrenceburg Cemetery for McCoun, then to Sand Springs Baptist Church for Toll and Chrisman.

Here are their stories:

Harold J. Toll

Toll was fatally injured on Nov. 14, 1948, at 34 years old in a car crash while en route to a call for assistance in Anderson County. He was assigned to Post 12 Frankfort. His death came three months after being commissioned as an officer with KSP. Trooper Toll is buried at Sandspring Baptist Cemetery in Anderson County. In honor of his service and sacrifice, a five-mile stretch of the U.S. 271 bypass in Anderson County has been designated the Trooper Harold J. Toll Memorial Highway.

James W. McNeely

McNeely drowned while on a flood rescue mission in Franklin County on April 8, 1972. He was 37. His death came one day after his 16th anniversary of joining KSP. McNeely and Water Patrol Officer David C. Childs died when the boat in which they were riding was swept over the dam at Lock 4 in Frankfort. McNeely’s body was never found.

The two canoeists for whom the officers were searching were later found safe. McNeely was assigned to Post 12 Frankfort.

McNeely was survived by his wife and three children. His memorial is in Wingo, Ky. In honor of his service, a five-mile stretch of KY 339 in Graves County has been designated the Trooper James W. McNeely Memorial Highway.

David Thomas Childs

Childs died alongside McNeely while searching the dam in Frankfort. His body was recovered from the Ohio River near Tell City, Indiana. He is buried in the Frankfort Cemetery.

In honor of his service, KY 1784, Coffee Tree Road has been designated “Officer David T. Childs Memorial Highway.”

In 1968, responsibility for the enforcement of boating safety laws was transferred from the Kentucky Department of Public Safety’s Boating Division to the Division of State Police. In November of 1972, responsibility for boating safety was transferred to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

Bobby A. McCoun Jr.

McCoun died on Sept. 1, 1975, after an accidental shooting at the Pikeville jail. He was 23.

McCoun was assigned to Post 9 Pikeville and served with KSP for two years. He is buried at the Lawrenceburg Cemetery in Anderson County. In honor of his service, a five-mile stretch of US 127 in Anderson County has been designated the Trooper Bobby A. McCoun Memorial Highway.

Jason Cammack

Cammack was the first KVE officer killed in the line of duty, on Easter Sunday, April 23, 2000. Cammack was on a routine patrol on I-64 near the Midway exit when he crossed the median and accelerated into the westbound lane in an attempt to stop a speeding vehicle.

He lost control of his vehicle, hit a rock embankment and died.

In honor of his service, US 60 in Franklin County, from US 460 to the Woodford line is known as the “Officer Jason Cammack Memorial Highway.”

Eric K. Chrisman

Chrisman was fatally injured on June 23, 2015, in a vehicle crash while en route to a reckless driving complaint in Livingston County. He was 23.

Upon receiving his commission as a trooper, he was assigned to Post 1 in Mayfield, where his death came six months into his career. Chrisman is buried at Sand Spring Baptist Cemetery in Anderson County.

In honor of his service, KY 326 in Anderson County has been designated the “Trooper Eric K. Chrisman Memorial Highway” in November of 2016.