Okla. Deputy Killed in Fiery On-Duty Crash

June 12, 2012
A Reserve Deputy Sheriff in Harper County, Okla., was killed in a fiery cruiser wreck Sunday night responding to a call in Laverne.

A Reserve Deputy Sheriff in Harper County, Okla., was killed in a fiery cruiser wreck Sunday night while he was responding to an emergency call in Laverne.

According to Officer Down Memorial Page, Deputy William Charles "Charley" Coen, 57, was killed when his Dodge Charger cruiser left the road on Highway 64, about two miles west of Buffalo and struck several large hay bales.

The collision which occurred just after midnight caused him to become trapped in the vehicle as it caught fire, according to ODMP. It took rescue crews three hours to extricate Deputy Coen from his vehicle.

He had been an officer for one year and the crash occurred on the first anniversary of his graduation from the police academy.He is survived by a wife, a daughter, 17, and a son, 20.

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