Officer Charles Joseph "Joey" Bohlender Jr., 33, a TFO and nine-year veteran of the Topeka Police Department, was killed while assisting on a burglary call in southwest Topeka. The helicopter was orbiting the scene as officers were inside investigating the alarm. Witnesses said the helicopter was circling in a tight pattern when dispatchers received a radio call from the helicopter stating they were going down. The aircraft spun and crashed into a field bursting into flames. Pilot Officer Jeff William Howey, 37, was also killed.

During his nine-year career with the Topeka Police Department, Officer Bohlender served in the patrol division, the anti-crime team, the SCAT/narcotics unit, the special response team, and the motorcycle unit. He had been a member of the helicopter unit since May 13, 2000. He twice was awarded the department’s Medal of Valor, in 1996 and 1999. Officer Bohlender was thirty-three years old at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife Linda and three children.