Deputy Paul Clark

Deputy Clark died from complications of injuries sustained when he was intentionally struck by a stolen vehicle near Desloge, Missouri.

He had conducted a traffic stop of a second vehicle on Highway 67, near Highway Y, and was attempting to identify the occupants. Deputy Clark asked one of the occupants who was unable to produce identification to walk back to his police car with him. The man suddenly jumped into a truck that was parked nearby and attempted to flee.

The man swerved towards Deputy Clark, striking him and throwing him several feet into a ditch on the shoulder of the road. The man, who was wanted on a federal probation violation warrant, was arrested after leading other officers on a pursuit.

Deputy Clark suffered a broken back as a result of the incident. He suffered complications as a result of the injury and died at home approximately 6.5 months later.

Deputy Clark had served with the St. Francois County Sheriff's Department for 13 years and had previously served with the Park Hills Police Department for five years.

In 2018 the offender was sentenced to 15 years for the assault and 25 years for armed criminal action, with the sentences to run consecutively for a total of 40 years in prison.