Fallen Indiana Sheriff's Deputy Laid to Rest

KOKOMO, Indiana -- The thousands of law enforcement officers streaming past the casket draped with an American flag, white carnations pinned upside down on the left side of their uniforms as a sign of respect for their fallen colleague.

Gov. Mike Pence commending the late Howard County Sheriff Deputy Carl A. Koontz on his courage and character.

How people found little moments of laughter amid their tears as those closest to Koontz talked about their favorite memories with him.

Koontz’s 7-month-old son Noah Koontz won’t remember any of those moments from his father’s funeral, held Tuesday at Northwestern High School.  So Koontz’s wife, Kassandra Koontz, asked everyone in attendance to tell her son about the experience when he’s older.

“For Noah, if you see him down the road when he’s older, if you could just say, ‘I was at your dad’s funeral,’ that would mean so much to him,” Kassandra said after reading the eulogy she wrote about her husband. “I just want him to realize who his dad was.”

Carl A. Koontz, 26, had been a deputy with the Howard County Sheriff Department since 2014. He married Kassandra in 2013, and their son Noah was born in August 2015. Koontz was the son of Allen and Jackie Koontz and the brother of Alice Koontz.

He died in the line of duty on March 20 of injuries sustained in a shootout earlier that morning at a Russiaville trailer park with 25-year-old Evan Dorsey, who was wanted on a failure to appear warrant. Koontz suffered a single gunshot wound to his pelvis, and he died at IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.

Sgt. Jordan Buckley, 35, also was shot during the incident, sustaining an upper thigh wound. He was released from the hospital March 21 and is expected to make a full recovery.

But as Howard County Cpl. Justin Markley said in his tribute following Kassandra’s eulogy, Tuesday was about celebrating Koontz’s legacy, not focusing on the tragedy.

“Today is not about a horrible tragedy. It’s about a hero,” Markley said, standing alongside Deputy Jake Gibson, who also spoke. “A man who sacrificed his life for another is the reason we all are gathered here today. So I implore you not to think about the tragedy, but to think about his legacy.”

An estimated 800 civilians and 3,000 law enforcement officers from numerous agencies in at least five different states filled the gym at Northwestern High School for Koontz’s funeral. Koontz had been a resource officer for the school corporation since 2014. Those who didn’t have a seat in the gym packed into an overflow room to watch the service.

“Carl has touched so many people, as you can see in this room,” Kassandra said. “Even though his courageous act took his life physically, his legacy will live on forever.”

The crowd was silent and still as Gov. Mike Pence; Jill Donnelly, wife of U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly; and Howard County Sheriff Steve Rogers paid tribute to Koontz. Pastor Steve Cole, who was Koontz’s teacher at Western High School and retired from teaching the same year Koontz graduated in 2007, led the service.

Pence noted the overwhelming support displayed in attendance at the funeral, the procession transporting Koontz back to Kokomo after his death, the motorcycle Rose Ride and other fundraisers, and blue lights and ribbons placed all over Howard County.

“I think we’ve seen this outpouring of admiration not merely for how he died, but for how he lived,” Pence said, presenting Kassandra with a folded Indiana flag after he gave his remarks.

Donnelly read a statement on her husband’s behalf, noting he was out of the country and unable to attend the funeral. She thanked Koontz, Buckley and other law enforcement officers for their service.

“They put their lives on the line so that we have the chance to live in safety, and we are eternally grateful,” she said.

Rogers said that as he searched for the strength to speak at Koontz’s funeral, he was drawn to a copy of the sheriff’s creed hanging in his office.

“I realized that creed belongs to someone like Carl,” Rogers said, reading an adapted version of the creed that summed up Koontz’s dedication to law enforcement, his leadership and his willingness to protect and serve all people.

Cole said family and friends described Koontz as ambitious, loyal, one who always went above and beyond the call of duty, who had a “fun, goofy sense of humor” and was focused on his family. His favorite food was his mom’s lasagna, he liked to watch racing and go fishing, and he meticulously took care of his car.

Kassandra nodded along from the front row as Cole shared some of the family’s favorite stories about Koontz. He also recalled what Koontz was like in high school, including how the class started singing Backstreet Boys songs every day.

Cole ended his tribute the same way he said he ended the commencement speech he gave the day Koontz graduated from Western High School – with a Backstreet Boys song. The seemingly silly finale struck an emotional chord with the new lyrics Cole wrote.

“Tell me why – were you really one of the best?” Cole sang. “Tell me why – were you so great to face the test? Tell me why – did God set you apart? It’s because of your great loving heart.”

Copyright 2016 Kokomo Tribune, Ind.  

Tribune News Service