Indiana State Police Unveil Memorial Sign Honoring Fallen Trooper Mavin Walts in Clarksville

Indiana State Police have unveiled a permanent roadside memorial in Clarksville honoring First Sergeant Mavin Walts, a trooper who was fatally shot during a traffic stop in 1957. Walts, stationed at the Charlestown State Police Post, was killed when a suspect opened fire during an attempted arrest related to an armed robbery. The incident also involved Walts's pastor, Rev. Robert Gingery, who was accompanying him and used Walts's shotgun to return fire, resulting in the suspect's death. The dedication ceremony took place on Lewis and Clark Parkway, near Interstate 65, with members of the Indiana State Police present. Sgt. Carey Huls highlighted that such memorial signs were uncommon at the time of Walts's death but are now part of efforts to honor fallen officers. Walts was on patrol after hearing a radio alert about a bank robbery when he encountered the suspect vehicle. Tragically, he was shot in the forehead and died instantly. He was nearing retirement and left behind a wife and teenage son. Trooper Nathan Newton initiated the project for these memorial signs in 2021, working with the Indiana State Police Alliance. The signs serve as a poignant reminder that fallen officers ...