Cops Cycling for Survivors recognize fallen in Dubois County

Deputy Clint Gogel places a flag at the grave marker of Deputy Thomas Woolridge in Nelson Harris Cemetery.

The annual Cops Cycling for Survivors tour passed through Dubois County Wednesday and Thursday.

Wednesday afternoon, the group that has been traveling across the state arrived in Huntingburg to the welcome of community and family members. This year’s tour features several local riders taking on portions of the route or completing the whole journey.

Jeff Jessee is on his fifth full tour with the group.

Former deputy Forrest Kieser has completed legs of the ride in the past but decided to complete the 13-day, thousand-mile Ride to Remember the Fallen this year.

Matthew Blesch and Ethan Trusty pulled in on this leg of the route on Wednesday as well.

All were met by their families in the Huntingburg City Hall parking lot along with local officers and first responders.

After photos and some refreshments, the tour continued to the Jasper Engines and Transmissions training facility, where they were treated to a meal and a special fallen officer tribute before bedding down there for the night.

The group returned to the road this morning as the sun began to burn off the fog hovering over the fields and forest along U.S. 231.

Rider Holly Heath carries images of Trooper James Bailey and his family and Officer Brad Matteson pinned to her jersey. Both were killed in vehicular accidents in the line of duty. Trooper Bailey was struck by a fleeing vehicle while deploying stop sticks during a vehicle pursuit. Officer Matteson was killed when his patrol car was struck by a semitrailer that ran a stop signal.

In Jasper, the group paid respects to three fallen officers, visiting three cemeteries before heading west into Pike County and on to Vincennes. At each site, the officer is recognized for how they died in the line of duty, followed by a brief moment of silence. Then a flag is placed at the grave marker.

In Dubois County, Deputy Sheriff John Gardner, Sheriff Louis Kreilein and Deputy Thomas Woolridge were honored with gravesite visits.

Deputy Sheriff Gardner was shot four times while attempting to apprehend two men accused of grand larceny in Martin County. He had been deputized that day and subsequently died from his wounds the following day. He was accompanied by Deputy William Cox, who was shot twice, suffered severe wounds and was paralyzed from the waist down. He died two years later.

Sheriff Kreilein was killed in an accident that occurred during the construction of a new county jail and sheriff’s residence. During the demolition of the old jail, a four-by-six-foot rafter was thrown from the second-story roof and struck Sheriff Kreilein, who was standing on the ground below. He died from a skull fracture later that day.

Deputy Woolridge was shot from a second-story window in 1842 as he walked down Sixth Street in Jasper. The man who killed him was operating an illegal still on his farm. He was sentenced to two years in jail for manslaughter before being pardoned.

Here are some photos from the tour through Dubois County.