Sergeant Joseph Alan Cox, Jr.

Joseph Alan Cox, Jr.

Sergeant Joseph Cox suffered a fatal heart attack after responding to a vehicle crash in which a vehicle struck a horse-and-buggy in which one of the buggy's occupants had been ejected.

After assisting at the scene of the crash Sergeant Cox drove the buggy's driver home to the 9600 block of Ricker Road. After making contact with the driver's parents, he returned to his vehicle. As he began to back up, he suddenly accelerated in reverse at a high rate of speed, crashing into a fence and then traveling in circles until the patrol car became stuck in the mud.

Rescue personnel arrived at the scene and immediately began CPR. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Sergeant Cox was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Allen County Sheriff's Department for 19 years. He is survived by his wife and six children.