| October 11, 2008
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Game Warden George Whatley, 45, died yesterday
in Fort Stockton after collapsing following a training exercise.
Whatley was participating in a physical agility test along with 10
other West Texas wardens when he was stricken.
All Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) game wardens are in
the process of completing a physical agility test which will
determine their baseline level of fitness as required for a mandatory
standard passed into law during the 80th Legislative session. All
commissioned state peace officers at TPWD, the Texas Alcoholic
Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the
Department of Public Safety are covered under the new law.
The wardens were participating in a physical agility test at Fort
Stockton High School and performed push-ups, sit-ups, a 300-meter
sprint, bench presses, a vertical leap and an agility course
yesterday morning.
The wardens took a rest break before a 1.5 mile run, and during that
time Whatley said he was not feeling well. He did not participate in
the run but sat down in the shade to rest. After the other wardens
had completed their run, Whatley was found slumped over, but still
breathing.
An EMT-trained warden worked on him until EMS transported him to Fort
Stockton Hospital, where emergency personnel worked for more than an
hour to revive him. He was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m.
Whatley, who was from Cass County in East Texas, was stationed in Van
Horn and graduated from the game warden academy in 2007. He is
survived by his wife, Kelly, and two sons: Sam, 14, and Seth, 13.
"Our deepest condolences are extended to the Whatley family in this
untimely and tragic incident," said Carter Smith, TPWD executive
director. "We will do all we can to support the family through their
grief."
An autopsy was performed this morning in Lubbock. As in all other
cases involving the death of an employee while on duty, an internal
TPWD investigation is underway. A funeral is being planned for East
Texas next week and details will be announced as they are available.
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