Oregon Police Department, Ohio
End of Watch: Friday, January 29, 1965
Age: 34
Tour of Duty: 4 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire (Inadvertent)
Date of Incident: January 28, 1965
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Not available
Patrolman Vonck was accidentally shot and killed when a gun fell from his pocket and discharged.
Officer Vonck and his partner had been working plainclothes on an investigation of the $1200 robbery the Sunday night before of a local store owner. They had just returned to their unmarked car when Patrolman Vonck said he thought he had dropped some money on the floor of the back seat. Patrolman Vonck plugged an emergency light into the cigar lighter, got out of the car, and bent over to shine the light on the floor in the rear of the car. As he did, a two-shot derringer fell from his shirt pocket. The small weapon did not have a trigger guard and discharged when it hit the curb. Patrolman Vonck died the next day at St. Vincent's Hospital.
Patrolman Vonck was a U.S. Navy veteran who served with the Oregon Police Department for four years. He was survived by his wife, daughter, and three sons.