QUINCY, MI (WTVB) – A member of the Branch County Sheriff’s Department Posse has died from injuries he received on Memorial Day when he was thrown off of his horse during Quincy’s Memorial Day parade.
Deputy Mike Winter past away at Parkview Regional Medical Center at about 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon.
The family has decided to donate his organs. Anyone wishing to assist his family may make a donation at the Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff John Pollack issued a statement following Winter’s death which said, “The Branch County Sheriff’s Office wishes to express their deepest sympathy to the family of Deputy Winter. He will be greatly missed by all of us, his fellow law enforcement family. We shall always remember him for his service to his country, to the Branch County Sheriff’s Office and to his family.”
The Sheriff’s Department says Winter was riding his horse on U.S. 12 just west of Arnold at about 11:20am on Monday when the horse was spooked by an unknown noise.
The horse bucked Winter off. He fell to the ground and hit his head.
Quincy Police, the Quincy Fire Department and Lifecare Ambulance came to Winter’s aid and he was later flown by the Samaritan Helicopter to Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne.
The death comes 20 years after deputy Harold Finley lost his life in a similar accident during a parade in Union City.
