View all 2 Reflections
Most Recent Reflection
I was 4 years old when Deputy Wicks was gunned down at Wendling Oregon. The gunman was a man by the name of Crispo, and we lived a short distance from him. He would often walk by our small farm where he tended property he had across Mill Creek. As I recall, Deputy Wicks went to Crispo's door after Crispo had wounded a neighbor in an argument. I do not know if Wicks was armed. When Crispo came to the door, he told Wicks, "I'll be right back." Wicks decided he'd better run for it and get more help. But Crispo gunned him down. I remember vividly when a white ambulance and police cars came by our house. Officers and neighbors surrounded Crispo's house. And he eventually took his life.
About 25 years later while attending college in Eugene, I was employed at the Lane County Sheriff's office for 2 years as a civil deputy, as a process server. One of my "clients" was a man who had a reputation of being a little strange, and my boss warned me about him. When I went to his door to serve the paper, the man greeted me and then said, "Wait, I'll be right back." Wick's fate flashed through my mind, and I thought I had better be ready with my .38 Smith & Wesson. Fortunately, the man didn't cause any trouble and accepted the legal paper.
Wendling didn't have many homicides--maybe Wicks being the only one--during the time my family lived there. But we who lived there though that time will never forget it.
We ought to appreciate and honor our police officers because of the dangers they face every day.
Wayne E. Warner
neighbor
August 29, 2010
