Shock gave way to grief today in Kosciusko County as the community began mourning the loss of Sgt. Jeffrey Shaw.

“Our leader’s gone and that’s the most unfortunate thing,” said Deputy Chris Francis with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department.

Sgt. Shaw died in a traffic accident on Thursday afternoon.

“There’s been laughter and there’s been tears right after and laughter, and it’s just, that’s how we’re grieving,” Francis said.

The City of Warsaw looked and sounded like a town in mourning on Friday.

At about 1 p.m. traffic stopped along U.S. 30 while 16-squad cars escorted the hearse that carried the body of Sgt. Shaw to the funeral home.

“Just how much of a loving man, I could not have asked for a better supervisor, a better friend. He took care of us, he took care of his family, if I could put that on a billboard out here I would,” Francis said.

Outside of the headquarters of the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department a squad car draped in black served as a make shift memorial.

The public was encouraged to use the memorial to pay its respects to Sgt. Shaw.

“We lean on each other to get better, to help each other out, that’s what we got to do now, is cry on each others shoulders and hold each other up,” said Patrolman Mike Cox of the Warsaw Police Department.

Thursday’s accident served as a shocking reminder about the dangers of police work.

“I talked to my wife several times today,” said Winona Lake Police Department Patrolman Mike Foster. “She’s nervous; you know this kind of all puts it in light for her.
She actually went to school with Angie, Jeff’s wife, so she’s known her for a long time and she’s been worried today.”

Sgt. Shaw’s wife Angie was also said to be good friends with the widow of Indiana State Police Trooper Jason Beal.

Beal also died in an accident along State Road 14 in Kosciusko County.

“Jason Beal was killed in January of 2000 (on the) same road, State Road 14, just about six miles west. Same apparent thing, just a horrible accident you know, just a vehicle accident,” said Sgt. Chad Hill with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department.

Hill says that Beal’s widow came to town offering to do anything she could to help the Shaw family.

Indiana’s Republican Party also released a statement about the passing of Sgt. Shaw, calling Shaw the “epitome of a public servant.”

The state party chairman said that Shaw was an elected member of the Prairie Township Advisory Board and a precinct committeeman for the party.

On Friday, Kosciusko County Sheriff Rocky Goshert released Shaw’s funeral arrangements.

A viewing will be held Monday November 16th from 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Warsaw Community Church on County Farm Road.

The funeral is slated for Tuesday November 17th at 11 a.m. at the church.

Internment will be at Oakwood Cemetery in Warsaw.

Memorial donations for the wife and children of Jeff Shaw can be made at any First Source Bank branch.