NORTH VERNON — Under a hot sun, a crowd gathered in North Vernon on Wednesday to honor two young police officers who lost their lives on a cold March night in 1993.
Very near the location where North Vernon Police Officer Anthony Burton and Reserve Officer Lonnie Howard were killed in the line of duty, a crowd of more than 60 people gathered in front of the Lord of Life Lutheran Church at the corner of State Roads 3 and 750.
Civic leaders, first responders, Indiana Department of Transportation representatives, family members and the public attended the ceremony dedicating the new bypass around North Vernon in honor of the two fallen officers.
The Indiana State Legislature unanimously passed House Concurrent Resolution 14 in February. It names all 7.75 miles of the new bypass as the Officer Anthony Burton and Reserve Officer Lonnie Howard Memorial Highway.
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HCR 14 was written by state Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, and co-authored by state Reps. Randy Frye, R- Greensburg, and Terry Goodin, D-Austin. State Sen. Chip Perfect, R-Lawrenceburg, sponsored the resolution through the Senate.
Efforts to rename the new Jennings County roadway were initially led by North Vernon Mayor Mike Ochs, Lucas said.
“I think naming the highway in honor of two fallen officers will also serve as a daily reminder for us all to remember the risks and sacrifices all police officers make everyday to protect ourselves and all of our families,” Lucas said.
North Vernon’s Police Chief James Webster remembered Burton and Howard when he spoke to the crowd.
“Lonnie and I were reserve officers together. He was eager and very athletic. He would have been a great police officer,” Webster said.
The police chief described Burton as a young officer who was known to be meticulous with details during his three years of duty. Webster said he knew Howard wanted to ride with Burton to learn from his experience.
About 1 a.m. March 24, 1993, a call came in from Decatur County that a suspect in a stolen car was headed through Jennings County, Webster said. Burton and Howard sat and waited. But when the suspect came he did not stop and rammed the police car.
“It’s been 25 years since that night. That seems like a long time, but the hurt has never gone away,” said Anthony Burton’s mother, Deloris A. (Burton) Pate, who attended Wednesday’s ceremony with sons Tim, Billy, Jeff and Larry Burton, and daughter Angela Burton Norvell.
Pate said she’s thankful for the efforts of all who had a part in the memorial highway designation.
“It is wonderful that my son’s sacrifice will not be forgotten,” Pate said.
Howard’s family lives out of state and could not attend the ceremony.
