Deputy’s name to be listed on national memorial

By DAN KEGLEY/Staff

Cpl. Chris Paschal’s name has been accepted for engraving on the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.
In early January 2009, at age 37, Paschal died two days after sustaining critical head injuries in an accident on icy Interstate 81.
He was off duty that morning and traveling with his wife, Kasey, and daughter, Keyleigh, when he saw an accident, one of more than 100 in three counties in a short time caused by ice and snow. As he telephoned central dispatch to report that accident, police said, the Paschals’ vehicle lost traction on the ice.
The 2001 Mitsubishi SUV “ran off the road to the right, overturned twice and came to rest on its wheels,” Virginia State Police said.
“He was on the phone with the dispatcher, saying there was an accident, and all of a sudden he advised her he was wrecking. Then he lost contact,” said Smyth County Sheriff David Bradley.
Paschal’s wife and daughter escaped injury. Police said he most likely removed his seat belt to access his phone or in preparation to quickly assist at the accident scene.
Paschal was taken to Smyth County Community Hospital and transferred by ambulance to Bristol Regional Medical Center.
Weather conditions kept medical evacuation helicopters grounded. “Med-Flight was unable to come up, and we understand that,” Bradley said at the time.
Paschal was also survived by a son, Tanner.
“He was an outstanding officer,” Bradley said. “Dedicated 110 percent. He loved his job and was ready to go at any time.”
Paschal was in the sheriff’s office for eight years, during which time “he wanted to do it all,” the sheriff said.
Paschal started out as a road officer and added membership on the Dive Team and the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team. SERT is a specialized unit of ten deputies with intensive training for responding to hostage situations and barricaded persons, executing search warrants on major drug cases, and serving high-risk warrants, the sheriff’s office Web site said.
In 2007 Paschal and his K-9 Ben graduated from the 13-week Virginia State Police/Southwest Law Enforcement Academy narcotics dogs handling class, adding that service to his repertoire of law enforcement and public service skills.
“As his supervisor I can honestly say there was nothing negative about him,” Capt. Mike Hounshell said.
This week, it was Hounshell who announced Paschal’s acceptance for the memorial. “I put Chris Paschal in for the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington DC and he has been accepted!!!” Hounshell wrote in an e-mail to a reporter. “They will have the ceremony on May 13th during National Police Week and read his name as they do with the newly engraved on the Memorial Wall.”
Hounshell said the sheriff’s office received the application form and he submitted it.
“We explained the incident in writing and he was accepted,” Hounshell said. “I think there is a board made up of different police association members. They take the application before the board for review.”
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Web site said it is “the nation’s monument to law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. Dedicated on Oct. 15, 1991, the memorial honors federal, state and local law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the safety and protection of our nation and its people.”
Located in Judiciary Square, “the historic seat of our nation’s judicial branch of government,” the monument “features two curving, 304-foot-long blue-gray marble walls. Carved on these walls are the names of more than 18,600 officers who have been killed in the line of duty throughout U.S. history, dating back to the first known death in 1792. Unlike many other memorials in Washington, D.C., the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial is ever-changing: new names of fallen officers are added to the monument each spring, in conjunction with National Police Week.”
This spring, to those names will be added Chris Paschal’s.
“It is a great thing,” Hounshell said.

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