Chief of Police Vern Ervin died from a shotgun wound after responding to assist other officers who had been fired upon by a subject outside the French Lick police station.

   The intoxicated man, who had argued with his sister and niece earlier at their parent's home near Prospect, fired shots at them while in their car. They were uninjured and proceeded to the police station to report the incident but the doors were locked.

   At some point, an Orange County deputy sheriff, the West Baden Springs police chief and a patrolman responded. As they were speaking with the women, the man returned and shot out the windshield of the chief's patrol car and they requested assistance.

   When Chief Ervin arrived from home, he was killed instantly with a shotgun blast to the head as he confronted the man, who then fled the scene to a service station across the street before being taken into custody.

   The 38-year-old suspect was charged with first-degree murder but his first trial resulted in a hung jury. In a change of venue to Washington County, he was later convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison where he died in 1981.

   Chief of Police Ervin had previously served with the Orange County Sheriff's Department as a deputy for one year. He was survived by his wife, son, two daughters, three grandsons, three brothers and two sisters.