Sergeant Joseph Cox died after suffering a heart attack while investigating an accident between a vehicle and a horse-drawn Amish buggy at State Road 37 and Ricker Road.

   After leaving the home of the buggy's driver in the 9600 block of Ricker Road, he placed his patrol car in reverse and was backing out. His car then accelerated, crashed through a fence and traveled about 70 yards into a field before becoming stuck in mud.

   Other officers were called and responded to find him unconscious. He was transported to Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne where he was pronounced dead.

   Sergeant Cox, from New Haven, was survived by his wife, Diana; daughters, Kristen (Cole) Miller, Jessica (Zachary) Moord, Melissa (Jordan) Palmer and Amy (Jacob) Richman; sons, Joseph Cox and Jerod (Kara) Hevel; sister, Stephanie (Matthew) Demorest; brother, Matthew (Josh Gardner) Cox; parents, Joseph Sr. and Brenda Cox; 13 grandchildren; and his canine partner, Gunny.

   His son, Joseph, had served as a confinement officer and deputy sheriff with the department.