Cherokee County, Texas

Cherokee County Courthouse in Rusk, Texas

Cherokee County, Texas

Cherokee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 50,845. The county seat is Rusk. The county was named for the Cherokee, who lived in the area before being expelled in 1839. Rusk, the county seat, is 130 miles southeast of Dallas and 160 miles north of Houston.

LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN CHEROKEE COUNTH

POLICE DEPARTMENTS

Alto, Cuney, Jacksonville, Jacksonville I.S.D., New Sumerfield, Rusk, and Wells.

CHEROKEE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN RUSK

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE IN JACKSONVILLE

CHEROKEE COUNTY CONATABLES, PRECINCTS 1-4

Clifford B Harris

Rusk VFD Fire Chief

End of Watch June 28, 1994

Chief Clifford Harris was with the Rusk Volunteer Fire Department for 20 years‚ 1 month and 24 days at the time of his death. Clifford loved his community and everyone in the community loved him just as much. At the Rusk Fire Station there is a memorial plaque in his honor and on it‚ it reads‚ ‘Greater love has no one than this‚ that he lay down his life for his friends’ John 15:13. That is just what Clifford did every time there was a call. Not only did Clifford work at the Fire Station he also worked at the Rusk State Hospital in the paint department and had is own paint business on the side. Clifford received many awards while he served, such as Fireman of the Year. After his death, he was honored at the Texas State Capital in Austin where his name is on a statue outside of the Capital as well as being honored at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial.

Clifford is survived by his wife Marilyn, and his children Marisa and Melisa.

Randy J. Zimmerman

Patrol Officer Randy J. Zimmerman

Jacksonville Police Department, Texas

End of Watch Friday, October 2, 1992

Officer Zimmerman was shot and killed after responding to a domestic disturbance call.

Officer Zimmerman, his partner, and a reserve officer responded to a home on Harrison Street. After the male and female subject were separated, Officer Zimmerman had the reserve deputy escort the female into another room.

As the reserve deputy was moving the female, Officer Zimmerman and his partner asked the male to stand up so he could be placed under arrest. As the man stood up, he produced a pistol from his waistband and began shooting at the officers. Officer Zimmerman was struck in the neck and in the back of the left arm, but was able to return fire. His partner also attempted to return fire but was struck in his gun hand, causing his service weapon to malfunction. The suspect was killed by the return fire.

Officer Zimmerman had served with the Jacksonville Police Department for 10 months. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Bio

Age 30

Tour 10 months

Badge 216

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire

Weapon Handgun; .357 caliber

Offender Shot and killed

Roscoe Lee

Jacksonville Police Department, Texas

End of Watch Saturday, June 30, 1979

Officer Lee was shot and killed when he and other officers responded to a disturbance at a bar at the corner Lincoln Street and Main Street. When the officers arrived at the scene they encountered a man with a shotgun pacing back and forth. The officers immediately took cover and then attempted to talk the man into putting his weapon down. Officer Lee, who was behind a patrol car, raised up to get a clearer view but was shot through the open windows of the patrol car. The 21-year-old-suspect was arrested and charged with capital murder.

Officer Lee had served with the Jacksonville Police Department for 13 years. He was survived by his wife and four daughters.

Bio

Age 46

Tour 13 years

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Charged with murder

Dean Chapman

Cherokee County Sheriff's Department, Texas

End of Watch Friday, December 31, 1954

Deputy Chapman was struck and killed by a vehicle while directing traffic at the scene of an accident. Another vehicle lost control and struck Deputy Chapman.

Bio

Age 45

Incident Details

Cause Struck by vehicle.

Bill Brunt

Cherokee County Sheriff's Department, Texas

End of Watch Thursday, August 3, 1939

Sheriff Brunt was shot and killed after stopping a car he suspected of transporting beer through the county. As he approached the car the male driver opened fire, striking him in the chest. Although mortally wounded, Sheriff Brunt was able to return fire, killing the driver and wounding the female passenger.

Sheriff Brunt had been with the agency for 20 months and was survived by his wife, who was appointed to complete his term in office.

Bio

Age 28

Tour 1 year, 7 months

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed

Harry Floyd Hooker

Jacksonville Police Department, Texas

End of Watch Tuesday, July 22, 1913

Night Policeman Harry Floyd Hooker had been notified that a drunk man had been robbed by a stranger, who had started out of town by way of the Cotton Belt Railroad track. Officer Hooker boarded a freight train which was "doubling" the hill north of town, and sighted a man standing by the track for the train to pass. The train was stopped, Officer Hooker walked back to the man, and the trainmen heard him ask the stranger to let him see what he had in a bundle he was carrying. The man shot Officer Hooker once in the left breast and fled. When the trainmen reached Officer Hooker he was lying in the center of the track, and was dying. Hooker reportedly said, "He got me," before he died. Hooker's pistol was lying on the track by his body, showing that he had seen the stranger draw his gun and had attempted to shoot, but was too late.

A search by the sheriff and a posse could not locate the killer. No one was ever arrested or prosecuted for the crime. Oral family history reported that the suspect was shot and killed near Houston a year later, and confessed to the slaying of Hooker before dying.

Officer Hooker was made night watchman about six months earlier. He was survived by a wife, Betty Pearl Ward Hooker, and two sons, Floyd Dante and Hollis Hooker. Jacksonville citizens donated $250 to the widow. Hooker was buried in the Kemp Cemetery in Kaufman County.

Bio

Age 33

Tour 6 months

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Offender Never apprehended

William A. Clark

Jacksonville Police Department, Texas

End of Watch Thursday, August 30, 1883

City Marshal William Clark was shot and killed while confronting a man he observed carrying a pistol in violation of the city ordinance. Marshal Clark confronted the man, who had the pistol in his hand, and demanded that he surrender the weapon. The man refused, cocked the pistol, and told Marshal Clark not to approach him. The man then crossed the street and the marshal followed. The subject then shot at Marshal Clark, the second shot striking him in the bowels. Both men then emptied their .44 caliber pistols at each other. The marshal started walking down the street and told the gathering crowd that he had been killed. The subject went to his father’s house, retrieved a shotgun, and came back searching for Marshal Clark. The man was arrested before he could shoot the marshal with the shotgun.

The subject was convicted of manslaughter in the death of Marshal Clark and sentenced to four years in prison. He appealed and the case was reversed due to a technicality. The state never established the date and time of the homicide or the county. The man was retried in June of 1885 and sentenced to two years in prison.

Marshal Clark died two days later, on Thursday, August 30th, 1883. He gave a dying declaration and said goodbye to his wife and friends before dying. He was survived by his wife and at least two children. He was buried in the Jacksonville City Cemetery, Cherokee County, Texas. He was a Confederate Army veteran.

Bio

Age 39

Military Veteran

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire

Incident Date Tuesday, August 28, 1883

Weapon Handgun; .44 caliber

Offender Sentenced to 2 years