The coroner rules his death as "accidental," and said it was acute myocardial infarction, a blockage of the blood flow to the heart.
A former Indiana police chief has died after he was attacked by hornets and stung more than 40 times, officials said.
The tragic incident took place earlier this month, when Larry Crenshaw, 59, a former chief of the Anderson Police Department, was hunting with a friend in Brookville. They were taking down tree stands near Brookville in Franklin County shortly before 3:30 pm., when the hornets attacked, according to a release from Rush County Coroner Ron Jarman.
Jarman ruled the cause of death, “accidental,” and said Crenshaw’s death was acute myocardial infarction, a blockage of the blood flow to the heart.
The police chief suffered a heart attack due to anaphylactic shock, an extreme, often life-threatening allergic reaction to an antigen to which the body has become hypersensitive, Jarman said.
“They were attacked by numerous hornets,” Jarman said reported in The Herald Bulletin. “Larry was stung over 40 times and shortly after began to have issues with shortness of breath and collapsed in the woods.”
The coroner said that Crenshaw’s friend went to get help since neither of the men had a cellphone on them.
Jarman told The Herald Bulletin that Crenshaw’s friend called 911 at a nearby home on Pipe Creek Road, and was able to get Crenshaw out of the woods, with the help of other people.
After he was taken to Rush Memorial Hospital, he died a short time later, the newspaper reported.
“This was a tragic accident,” said Jarman said. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Crenshaw family and friends.”
News of his tragic passing brought great sadness and shock to his family and police family, friends, and colleagues. Some posted their farewells on Facebook and expressed what a wonderful detective, friend, and person Crenshaw was.
"Rest in peace brother in blue," one mourner said.
"Rest easy my friend, Larry Crenshaw! One of the hardest working detective’s I’ve encountered and had the honor of working with. I will miss you making coffee every morning and our deep conversations."
"Sending prayers and condolences to family and friends. What a great man, such a big loss."
"Still can't believe this," said another person, who was still reeling from the news.
The Chesterfied Police Department expressed their condolences: "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Detective Larry Crenshaw of the Anderson Police Department."
According to The Herald Bulletin, Crenshaw had been a 26-year veteran of the police department and served as chief from 2012 to 2015. He was working as a detective in the investigations division at the time of his death, the outlet reported
A scholarship fund has been created by Crenshaw's family titled the Larry Crenshaw Memorial Scholarship Fund.
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