Sgt John Arner
Jasper County Sheriff's Department
Missouri
End of Watch: Friday, January 4, 2002

Biographical Info
Age: 43
Tour of Duty: 13 years
Badge Number: 95

Incident Details
Cause of Death:Drowned
Date of Incident: Friday, January 4, 2002

Sergeant Scott Arner, a member of the Jasper County Sheriff's Department dive team, drowned while performing an investigation in an ice-covered lake.

The small lake which is spring-fed from a mine shaft, is 30 to 40-feet deep in most spots, and has been used often as a location for criminals to abandon stolen cars. After Sergeant Arner's body was recovered, he was flown to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Sergeant Arner had been employed with the Jasper County Sheriff's Department for 13 years.

Corrections Officer I Rodney C. Welch
Missouri Department of Corrections t
Missouri
End of Watch: Monday, January 14, 2002

Biographical Info
Age: 54
Tour of Duty: 4 years
Badge Number:

Incident Details
Cause of Death:Heart attack
Date of Incident: Monday, January 14, 2002

Officer Rodney Welch suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after responding to a fight between two inmates at the Algoa Correctional Center.

Officer Welch was assaulted while trying to break up the two inmates and received several bruises to his face and chest. After the inmates were secured, Officer Welch began to have chest pains and collapsed. He was transported to a local hospital where he died approximately one hour later.

Officer Welch had been employed with the Missouri Department of Corrections for four years, and he is survived by his wife and two children.

Trooper Kelly Leland Poynter
Missouri Highway Patrol
Missouri
End of Watch: Friday, January 18, 2002

Biographical Info
Age: 27
Tour of Duty: 6 years
Badge Number: 1191

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Vehicular assault
Date of Incident: Friday, January 18, 2002
Weapon Used: Automobile; Alcohol involved
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 7 years

Trooper Kelly Poynter was struck and killed by a drunk driver while working an accident scene on U.S. Route 63 in Texas County, Missouri.

The driver of the vehicle that struck Trooper Poynter was intoxicated and driving at a high rate of speed. She was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter. The suspect was sentenced to 7 years but released after serving only 120 days for completing an alcohol treatment program.

Trooper Poynter had been employed with the Missouri State Highway Patrol for six years, and is survived by his wife and two young sons.

Police Officer Michael Janson Barwick
St Louis Police Department
Missouri
End of Watch:Thursday, August 29, 2002

Biographical Info
Age: 27
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Badge Number: 5987

Incident Details
Cause of Death:Vehicle pursuit
Date of Incident: Thursday, August 29, 2002
Weapon Used: Automobile
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 18 years

Officer Michael Barwick was killed in an automobile accident at 0220 hours during a vehicle pursuit of a stolen car.

The pursuit started after Officer Barwick and his partner, Officer Jenna Christian, spotted the vehicle and attempted to stop it. During the pursuit, a minivan collided with Officer Barwick's patrol car at 25th Street and St. Louis Avenue. The collision caused the patrol car to go airborne, land on its side, and burst into flames. Other units stopped and pulled Officer Barwick and Officer Christian from the vehicle. Both officers were transported to a local hospital where Officer Barwick succumbed to his injuries.

Other officers chased the vehicle off and on for over an hour. The driver and its passenger were both finally apprehended and were both charged with felony murder in connection with Officer Barwick's death. The suspect driving the car was convicted of the charges in September 2003 and sentenced to 12 years in prison. The suspect in the passenger seat was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Officer Barwick had been a member of the St. Louis Police Department for two years, and was assigned to the 4th District.

Police Officer Vernon M. Seals
Truesdale Police Department
Missouri
End of Watch: Sunday, October 6, 2002

Biographical Info
Age: 35
Tour of Duty: 12 years
Badge Number: 21

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Vehicular assault
Date of Incident: Sunday, October 6, 2002
Weapon Used: Automobile
Suspect Info: Killed in accident

Officer Vernon Seals was struck and killed by a vehicle that was being chased by other officers on I-70 at 1530 hours.

The two occupants had committed a home invasion robbery in Fulton, Missouri, earlier in the day and fled after being stopped by a state trooper. The suspect lost control of his vehicle while trying to pass a patrol car, causing the vehicle to overturn. The car struck Officer Seals, who was positioned next to his patrol car on the eastbound shoulder. Officer Seals was transported to St. Joseph Hospital West where he succumbed to his injuries.

The driver of the vehicle was also killed in the crash and the passenger was taken into custody. He was later sentenced to 20 years in prison for his part in Officer Seals' death.

Officer Seals had served as a part-time officer for the 280-person town for 12 years. He is survived by his wife and 2-year-old son.

Chief Deputy Sheriff Sharon Joann Barnes
Dent County Sheriff's Department
Missouri
End of Watch: Tuesday, December 10, 2002

Biographical Info
Age: 48
Tour of Duty: 9 years
Badge Number: 611

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Monday, December 9, 2002
Weapon Used: Handgun; .22 caliber
Suspect Info: Sentenced to death

Chief Deputy Sharon Barnes was shot shortly after noon when she and the sheriff went to a home on County Road 231, west of Salem, to investigate a double murder that occurred earlier in the morning.

The suspect's girlfriend opened the door as the deputies approached the house. When Chief Deputy Barnes asked if the suspect was there, the man opened fire with a .22 caliber handgun and struck Chief Deputy Barnes in the head and torso. She was flown to St. John's Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis where she succumbed to her wounds at 0351 the following morning. The sheriff, the suspect, and another person in the house were also wounded in the ensuing shootout.

The suspect was convicted of three counts of first degree murder and armed criminal action. He was sentenced to three death sentences.

Chief Deputy barnes had been employed with the Dent County Sheriff's Department for nine years.