Defiance County Sheriff's Office, Ohio
End of Watch Tuesday, December 15, 1964
Add to My HeroesDonald V. Kehnast
Deputy Sheriff Donald Kehnast suffered a fatal heart attack while he and several other officers struggled with a mental patient at a tavern in Defiance, Ohio.
Deputy Kehnast had been elected sheriff two months earlier and was to take office on January 4, 1965. He had served with the Defiance County Sheriff's Office for 22 years. He was survived by his wife, son, and three daughters.
Bio
- Age 52
- Tour 22 years
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause Heart attack
Most Recent Reflection
View all 19 ReflectionsNEVER FORGET! Please help me honor the dedicated service and ultimate sacrifice of Deputy Sheriff Donald V. Kehnast of the Defiance County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio, and the additional 78 American Peace Officers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice on this date in history.
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December 15, 2025
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