News

Sheriff's office to honor detective who died in line of duty

By Bill Moss, Published: May 14, 2019

The Henderson County Sheriff's Office plans to dedicate a training room in honor of Detective Shane Thomas, who died in 2012 of complications from an injury he sustained during mounted patrol training 3½ years earlier.

Sheriff Lowell Griffin announced that the dedication would take place at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

"We feel there is no better time than National Police Week when we pay special recognition to officers that have given their lives protecting and serving others to make this dedication," the department said in a news release.

Detective Thomas was training at Horseshoe Farms in May 2009 when the horse he was riding reared and fell on top of him, breaking his neck and rendering him a quadriplegic. He was airlifted to Mission Hospital and spent the next four months rehabilitating in Atlanta, Georgia. He returned home in October 2009 but had limited mobility. With the assistance of voice activated computer software, he was able to return to work with the sheriff's office performing computer data entry and managing confidential information about drug dealers.

Thomas developed complications from his spinal injuries and passed away on Dec. 28, 2012. He served with the Henderson County Sheriff's Office for 19 years. He was survived by his wife, two sons, two daughters, a grandson, brother, sister, parents and his grandmother at the time of his death.