Ervin Leonard Penland

Buncombe County Sheriff's Office — Asheville, NC

Accident

End of Watch March 18, 1974

Age 40

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Badge 722

The Vigil Panel 113 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Auxiliary Deputy Ervin Penland succumbed to injuries sustained on January 15th, 1974, while he and his partner pursued a vehicle along Beaverdam Road at about 7:30 pm. He was ejected from the vehicle and suffered serious injuries. He was transported to a local hospital before being transported to the VA Hospital, where he remained until succumbing to his injuries. Deputy Penland had served as full-time deputy for four years before resigning two weeks before the crash to take a higher-paying job in the private sector. He continued with the department as an unpaid volunteer auxiliary deputy after resigning.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NC-A4F3F1F1
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Auxiliary Deputy Penland gave the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Asheville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Auxiliary Deputy Penland.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Buncombe County Sheriff's Office

Location Asheville, NC

Platform Identity bcso.buncombe.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 18, 1974

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 40

Badge Number 722

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Weapon Automobile

Offender Not available

Auxiliary Deputy Ervin Leonard Penland is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In NC, 205 of 664 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.9% of this state's fallen.

At Buncombe County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 5 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 40% of this agency's fallen.

Buncombe County Sheriff's Office

of 5 officers

40% Accident

NC — Statewide

205

of 664 officers

30.9% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers