The Woodward News

Features

June 15, 2006

Memorial coins honor Ericsson

Oklahoma narcotics officers are coming together to help the family of a fallen colleague.

Mark Woodward, spokesman for the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, says memorial coins have been issued by the Association of Oklahoma Narcotics Enforcers or A-ONE to honor OBN Agent Choc Ericsson of Woodward, who died in the line of duty last year.

“Agent Ericsson, assigned to the OBN Woodward District Office, sustained a severe head injury while trying to detain and investigate a driver under the influence of methamphetamine,” said Woodward.

The proceeds from the sale of the coins will help support Choc’s wife Glenda and her three young children.

“Choc was a true hero that night,” said Woodward. “The suspect was on a meth-induced rampage, and I have no doubt Choc protected a lot of innocent people who would have been in the suspects’ path that evening.”

According to Woodward, Ericsson was a member of A-ONE, which is comprised of nearly 500 federal, state and local narcotics officers across the state. A-ONE is having several hundred coins stamped and distributed with the proceeds going to the Ericsson family.

The coins are $5 plus $2.50 shipping and can be purchased by contacting Corporal Craig Williams with the Ardmore Police Department at (580)223-1212 or by contacting Mark Woodward at the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics at 580-521-2885.

“This is actually the second time these coins have been sold,” said Woodward. “The first time they were sold in law enforcement circles, and they went very quickly, so A-ONE decided to allow these coins to be sold to the public to help Agent Ericsson’s family.”

Also, a hearing is slated for July 11 to determine if the suspect in Agent Ericsson’s death should be returned to prison.

Woodward says the defendant, Leslie Don Vance, had reportedly been under the influence of methamphetamine for several days prior to his encounter with Agent Ericsson.  

At the time of the incident Vance was serving a 28-year suspended sentence. Woodward says the July hearing will determine if the suspension should be revoked and Vance be placed back in the custody of the Department of Corrections.

“District Attorney Ray Don Jackson has assembled a prosecution team to assist him with this revocation hearing and possible future charges that might be filed as a result of OBN Agent Ericsson's death,” said Woodward.

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