Shawnee Police

Claude James Bowen, Captain

Shawnee Police Department

Shortly before 6 P.M. on May 31, 1934, Captain Bowen and Detective Robert Warlick were returning from a call in the eastern part of Shawnee when they were involved in an automobile accident at East Highland and Harrison Ave. Warlick was crushed into the steering wheel and Bowen was thrown from the car, striking a fire plug causing a fractured skull and a broken right shoulder. Warlick died shortly after arriving at the hospital. Bowen died August 13, 1935, having never fully recovered from his injuries. Bowen let behind a wife and three daughters.

David Wayne Clark, Patrolman

Shawnee Police Department

Clark, 22, became involved in a high-speed pursuit on Kickapoo Street about 4 A.M. on Saturday morning, August 16, 1980. The pursuit continued to about three miles north of Shawnee where Clark lost control of his police car. The unit ran off the road, down an embankment, overturned and burst into flames with Clark trapped inside. His parents, two sisters and a brother survived him.

Glen G. Collins, Lake Ranger

Shawnee Police Department

At 11:43 A.M. on Tuesday, December 13, 2005, Ranger Collins, 72, was north bound on State Highway 102 in his city pickup when he attempted to turn left onto Belcher Road. An 18-wheel gravel truck south bound on the highway struck Collins’ pickup broadside on the passenger side causing it to flip over killing Collins. Collins had been a Lake Ranger for Shawnee for 38 years. He was survived by his wife Freda, their daughter Dixie and two grandsons.

Glen and Freda were to celebrate their 51^st wedding anniversary on December 27^th.

Marrion K. Farral, Chief

Shawnee Police Department

About noon on Thursday, October 17, 1907, Chief Farral had gone to the Shawnee Transfer Company to talk to John Curtis Barber about a complaint Barber’s wife had filed against him for adultery. The Chief and Barber walked out the rear door together, when witnesses heard the sound of a heavy blow being struck but did not see it. The witnesses found the Chief bleeding heavily from a blow to the head as Barber ran away. The Chief died eight hours later, survived by his wife and three children. Barber was later arrested and charged with the Chief’s murder.

Jerry Spann (Span), Chief of Police

Shawnee Police Department

Jerry Spann served as a Deputy U.S. Marshal in Oklahoma Territory. After statehood, he was appointed as Assistant Chief of Police in Shawnee under Chief C.C. Hawk. Spann succeeded Hawk as Chief of Police in Shawnee.

In 1918, Chief Spann had arrested a man and was taking him to jail when the man began fighting with Spann. During the fight, Spann suffered a head injury. The injury developed into cancer. Spann sought treatment, unsuccessfully, as far away as the Mayo Clinic. Chief Spann died as a result of the cancer on March 26, 1920.

Robert Arthur Warlick, Detective

Shawnee Police Department

Shortly before 6 P.M. the evening of Thursday May 31, 1934, Detective Warlick and Captain Claude J Bowen were in route to a call when their patrol car collided with another car at a Shawnee intersection. Detective Warlick was crushed into the steering wheel. Captain Bowen was thrown from the car and struck a fireplug. Detective Warlick died shortly after arriving at the hospital. Captain Bowen died just over a year later and is believed to have died from complications from the accident. His wife and two daughters survived detective Warlick.