The 65-year-old coroner had just attended services at St. Joseph Church on Washington Street around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday when a man approached him in the church parking lot and asked for a ride.

Burkhardt agreed, police said, but then the young man told Burkhardt he had a knife and demanded money.

Burkhardt drew on his experience as coroner and told the robber that he's familiar with knives and not threatened by them, Police Chief Neil Ferdelman said. Then the man, who never showed a knife, punched Burkhardt in the mouth, stole his wallet and fled, police said.

Burkhardt wasn't hurt and was back at work Tuesday afternoon.

"He may be a few years older, but I'd say he's made of some pretty staunch stuff," Ferdelman said. "But he's also a very compassionate individual, and he would be the first to forgive his assailant."

Burkhardt declined to talk about the robbery Wednesday.

Police were following leads on possible suspects, Ferdelman said.

This type of crime is unusual in the daytime, Ferdelman said, and the area around the church has had no significant problem with similar incidents.

"'Dr. B' wanted to be helpful," Ferdelman said. "But it's an important lesson that we all want to be on guard against crime."

Burkhardt, who got 120,523 votes in his uncontested bid, cast his vote Tuesday after the attack. He was the county's top vote getter despite only one campaign sign: one a supporter put on Ohio 4 - with his last name misspelled.

E-mail jmorse@enquirer.com