Mexia Police Department, Texas
End of Watch: Monday, April 3, 1922
Age: 30
Tour of Duty: 5 days
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire (Inadvertent)
Date of Incident: April 3, 1922
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Not available
Patrolman Coy Vandiver was accidentally shot and killed as he and another officer were attempting to subdue a drunk suspect on the Tehuacana Highway in the west part of the city. The prisoner refused to throw up his hands and Patrolman Vandiver struck the suspect on the head with the butt of his single action revolver.
The revolver discharged and the bullet struck Patrolman Vandiver and severed an artery. The bullet entered his right side about three inches below his right breast and passed through his liver. He was transported to Mexia General Hospital where he died at 7:10 p.m. The newspaper reported that Vandiver had been an officer for only a few days.
Patrolman Vandiver was survived by his wife and children three children. Burial was in the Oakwood Cemetery in Waco. During WWII, one of his sons joined the U.S. Navy and was killed in action on October 1, 1944 at age 23.