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Orange County fixing park sign dedicated to fallen deputy

Brandon Coates killed in line of duty in December 2010

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County is working to fix a sign outside a community park dedicated to a fallen deputy.

One of the signs at Deputy Brandon Coates Community Park in the Hunters Creek area misspelled the deputy’s name.

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A News 6 viewer pointed out one of the two signs at the park’s entrances spelled Brandon Coates’ last name as “Coats.”

According to the Department of Parks and Recreation, the sign is actually a replacement of the original one, which did have the proper spelling.

The park opened in the summer of 2016 in honor of Coates, who was killed in the line of duty in December 2010. Coates, who was a U.S. Marine and served two tours in Iraq, was patrolling a neighborhood near South Orange Blossom Trail when he was shot.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said Brandon Lyals, a convicted felon, shot the 27-year-old deputy in the head twice after being pulled over.

Investigators said Lyals took his own life.

In an email, Orange County said they apologize to the Coates family for the error, which was an oversight on their part.

The Department of Parks and Recreation said they already ordered a new sign and no date has been said as to when it will be available for installation.

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