By John Hinton
Winston-Salem Journal
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — People showed their respect for Sgt. Mickey Hutchens of the Winston-Salem Police Department in two ways yesterday-- more than 200 took part in a blood drive at Forbush High School, and others left flowers and cards on Hutchens’ patrol car parked at the city’s public-safety center on North Cherry Street.
Hutchens, 50, died Monday night, five days after being shot in the face by a man fleeing police who responded to a domestic-disturbance call at the Bojangles’ restaurant on Peters Creek Parkway.
Hutchens, a 27-year veteran of the police force, had been in critical condition at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center since the shooting.
He will be buried Friday in the Forbush Baptist Church cemetery on Old U.S. 421 in eastern Yadkin County.
The suspect, Monte Denard Evans, 35, died at the scene after being shot by police in the head, chest and abdomen. Evans traded gunfire with Officer Daniel Clark, who was also wounded.
Clark, 28, who was released from the hospital Friday after being treated for a gunshot wound near his right ear, is recovering.
Justin Sharpe graduated from Forbush High two years ago, but he returned yesterday for a blood drive honoring Hutchens, a 1976 Forbush graduate. Hutchens’ daughters, Jill and Leah, also graduated from the school, and Sharpe, a sophomore at East Carolina University, attended high school with Leah.
“I’ve never seen this many people at the blood drive,” said Sharpe, who participated in previous drives as part of the high school’s Health Occupations Students of America organization.
He said that the turnout shows the community’s willingness to come together in difficult times.
“Forbush has always been like that,” he said. “We’ve always been like a close family with everybody.”
As a memorial, Hutchens’ patrol car was parked next to the flagpoles at the public-safety center. U.S., state and city flags flew at half-staff. Mayor Allen Joines declared yesterday through Friday a period of mourning for Hutchens.
A steady stream of people left flowers, cards and stuffed animals on the hood of Hutchens’ car, which was about 30 feet away from the department’s marker with the names of 16 other police officers who have died in the line of duty since 1895.
Carol and Mark Bullard prayed at Hutchens’ car yesterday to pay respect to him. Carol is a nurse at the medical center, and Mark is a Greensboro firefighter.
Mark Bullard said he didn’t know Hutchens, but that police officers, firefighters and paramedics “go out every day with no guarantee of coming home.”
Carol Bullard said that four families were affected by last Wednesday’s shooting -- the families of Hutchens and Clark, and the families of Monte Evans and his former wife.
“I’m not diminishing anybody,” she said. “I hope through this tragic event, more is done for the victims and abusers involved in domestic violence.”
Carlos Dunlap of Kernersville put peace lilies next to the car.
Dunlap said he was devastated by Hutchens’ death.
“You have to have a heart,” he said. “It’s bad on both ends. I feel for the victim (Evans) as well.”
Jennifer Lemons of Clemmons also put flowers on the car. She said that police officers had protected her in situations when she was married to her now former husband.
“People just don’t realize what the police do for us,” Lemons said. “It’s truly sad.”
Copyright 2009 Winston-Salem Journal