Sergeant Ricky Dale Coyle

Ricky Dale Coyle

Sergeant Ricky Coyle was shot and killed while investigating a hit and run in a remote area of the county.

During the investigation he radioed in that he needed an ambulance. An off duty officer who responded to the scene found Sergeant Coyle slumped over his steering wheel and discovered that he had been shot three times.

One shot was stopped by his vest, one entered below his vest, and a third entered through the side, rupturing his spleen. Other arriving units found the body of the suspect approximately 30 yards away, suffering from five gunshot wounds. The investigation revealed that the two men were standing within a few feet of each other when they exchanged shots. The suspect was later found to be a fugitive from Alabama who was wanted for arson and other felonies.

Sergeant Coyle was a U.S. Air Force veteran. He had served with the Greene County Sheriff's Department for 16 years and had previously served one year with the Northern Illinois University Police Department. He is survived by his mother and sister.