A police officer who was part of President Obama's motorcade during a campaign stop in Florida died after he was hit by a pickup truck. TODAY's Natalie Morales reports.
By NBC News wire services
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- A motorcycle police officer who was part of President Barack Obama's motorcade to a campaign event in Florida died Sunday after being struck by a pickup truck.
Officer Bruce St. Laurent, 55, was a 20-year veteran of the Jupiter Police Department and one of several officers from agencies across Palm Beach County helping with security for the president's visit.
He was ahead of the motorcade on Interstate 95 preparing to shut down the highway as part of a rolling roadblock when he was hit by the Ford F-150, Palm Beach County Sheriff's spokeswoman Teri Barbera said. He was taken to nearby St. Mary's Medical Center and was pronounced dead.
Click here for the?latest headlines from NBC Politics
Jupiter Police spokesman Sgt. Scott Pascarella, told The Palm Beach Post he trained St. Laurent when he was a new officer.
"We didn't lose a co-worker. We lost a friend," Pascarella told the newspaper. "He would do anything for anyone."
Barbera said an investigation was ongoing and no charges had yet been filed against the driver.
Motorcycle cop for 18 years
Obama was on the second day of a bus tour through the key swing state and made a campaign appearance Sunday at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.
White House press secretary Jay Carney said the president didn't see the accident, but he was notified of the officer's death and said "our thoughts and prayers are with the officer's family."
Carney said an ambulance that was part of the motorcade was released immediately to assist on the scene.
The Post also reported that St. Laurent had been a motorcycle officer for 18 years and in 2005 he earned a Distinguished Service Award by the Traffic Safety Committee of the Palm Beaches.
The newspaper reported that tn 2001, he was injured when a vehicle he was chasing suddenly stopped and he rammed into it. The two occupants were later arrested, one on a charge of driving with a revoked license and the other for having an outstanding warrant for reckless driving.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More content from NBCNews.com:
Follow US News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook
rose bowl 2012 sat cheating scandal hangover cure lebron james engaged auld lang syne end of the world 2012 pink martini
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.