Hundreds mourn officer shot and killed after chase

<p>Slain Pendergrass police officer Christopher Ruse was remembered at a memorial service Tuesday for how he lived _ as a dedicated mentor, friend, public servant and family man.</p><p>"Anybody that knew Chris knew what it was like to have a real friend," said Robert Schuenemann, who formerly worked with Ruse at the Winder Police Department. "He had a servant's heart, greeted everyone with a smile, and never complained. He lived his life for other people."</p><p>Ruse, 45, was shot and killed Dec. 29 in a gun fight after chasing a pickup truck in northeast Georgia.</p><p>Police said Ruse had chased a pickup truck carrying two men when it went off the road and overturned. As the officer approached, shots were fired.</p><p>Ruse and one of the men were hit.</p><p>Richard A. Whitaker, 26, of Flowery Branch, and Nolan Leon Chauvin IV, 18, of Dacula, have been charged with felony murder and aggravated assault.</p><p>The hundreds who gathered Tuesday to mourn Ruse included law enforcement officials from across the Southeast, dozens of Boy Scouts and other members of the community.</p><p>Brandon Warren had Ruse for a scoutmaster and said he led the troop by example.</p><p>"He was truly a jack of all trades and gave us help, advice and a shoulder to lean on," Warren said.</p><p>The 2 p.m. funeral was delayed nearly an hour because of the long processional to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Winder. Cars spilled into nearby residential neighborhoods and the crowd overflowed the church.</p><p>Ruse's flag-draped casket was placed at the front of the sanctuary as officers from many different departments took nearly 10 minutes filling row after row of the church.</p><p>A force of just two officers began patrolling the 25 miles of road in Pendergrass, a town of 500 residents, in early 2003, monitoring the speed of drivers on U.S. 129, which connects Athens and Gainesville.</p>