MOUNT GILEAD, N.C. — A police officer with the Mount Gilead Police Department died after suffering a medical emergency at a deadly house fire over the weekend.
Police said Officer Craig Cloninger became unconscious Saturday at the house fire on Northview Road. He was taken to FirstHealth Montgomery Memorial Hospital in Troy where he died.
“The death of an officer is a tragic event; it touches the hearts and emotions of everyone, not only in the department, but the community as a whole. When it involves someone as young as Craig, who has children, it is even more difficult. We will miss him tremendously as he was an integral part of the Mount Gilead Police Department team,” Chief Pat Preslar said. “Craig was a family man who loved his wife and two daughters, 12 and 19 years of age. And he also loved being a public servant.”
The police department said Cloninger, 38, worked at the department as a reserve officer.
“He was one of my best volunteers, filling many of our reserve officer shifts. When Craig worked, it made me sleep easier when he was paired with our younger officers because of his many years of experience,” Preslar said.
PHOTOS | Remembering Mount Gilead Police Officer Craig Cloninger
Cloninger was also well known in the community as he formerly worked as a school resource officer at East Montgomery High School.
“We’ll also miss his always jovial personality. He kept everyone laughing and at ease during downtime. There’ll never be another Craig, and the Montgomery County law enforcement community, and our hearts will be slow to heal,” Preslar said.
The Mount Gilead Police Department said it’s asking the “community for prayers and support for Officer Cloninger, his family, the police department and the family of the person who tragically died in the house fire.”
Police said a body was discovered in the house fire and the case is now a death investigation and potential crime scene.