Deputy killed escorting Mardi Gras float

[s2tbolt]

Y'all please remember this Officer's family and friends in your prayers...

John DeSantis Published: Sunday, February 7, 2010 at 8:36 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, February 7, 2010 at 8:36 a.m.
( page of 2 )

HOUMA -- A Terrebonne Parish deputy on a motorcycle escorting a Mardi Gras float was killed in a collision with a car this morning, authorities said.


The collision happened at about 7 a.m. on La. 311 and Krumbhaar Drive, which is near Polk Street

http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20...rdi-Gras-float

[4GIVEN]

[jphilp87]

Thanks for letting us know.

[DRUNKinMUNKY]

Very sorry to hear that. People forget that police officers take risks even dealing with the general public. My prayers are sent.

[jjzeal]

tragic. prayers sent

[sempul]

[VOO-DOO]

[DewnMoon]

really hate to hear about these:

Louisiana State Police News Release
Date Posted: 02/08/2010

Troop C
Fatal Crash Involving Terrebonne S.O.

News Release
February 7, 2010

Fatal Crash Claims the Life of 49-Year-Old
Capt. Timothy Bergeron a Veteran Officer with the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office

Houma- Louisiana State Police Troop C investigated a crash on LA 311at Krumbhaar Drive in Houma, LA. The crash occurred at 07:08 a.m., February 7, 2010, involving a police motorcycle and a car.

The investigation revealed that Captain Timothy Bergeron (W/M, 49 of Houma, LA.) of the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office and several other officers with the Sheriff’s Office and the Houma Police Department were escorting several Mardi Gras floats northbound on LA 311 for the Krewe of Titans when the crash occurred.

Capt. Bergeron was operating his police unit, a 2009 Harley Davidson motorcycle, northbound on LA 311 in the southbound lane with emergency lights activated approaching Krumbhaar Drive. Shelly K. Ordoyne (W/F, 36 of Raceland, LA.) was driving a 2002 Lincoln Continental westbound on Krumbhaar Drive when she came to a stop at the stop sign at LA 311 and Krumbhaar Drive. Cleveland Ordoyne (W/M, 44 of Lockport, LA.) was towing the third float of the floats escorted. Mr. Ordoyne slowed to a near stop and motioned Ms.Ordoyne to proceed with her left turn and proceed southbound on LA 311.

Neither Mr. Ordoyne nor Ms. Ordoyne observed Capt. Bergeron approaching. Ms. Ordoyne could not see due to the floats and the sun’s position in the sky when she proceeded to pull out and make a left turn. Ms. Ordoyne observed Capt. Bergeron when she was approximately three quarters into the turn. Ms. Ordoyne took evasive action by steering to her right, and Capt. Bergeron took evasive action by braking hard and laying the motorcycle down; however, they still made impact in the southbound lane of LA 311.

Acadian Ambulance transported Capt. Bergeron and Ms. Ordoyne to Terrebonne General Medical Center. Capt. Bergeron succumb his injuries upon arrival and Ms. Ordoyne
sustained minor injuries and released from hospital.

Alcohol and/or drugs not suspected in the crash; however, toxicology results are pending for both drivers as required by state law.

No charges were file in the crash, and the investigation is ongoing. Senior Trooper Willie Verret is conducting the investigation.

[banana16]

Very Sad news, prayers sent for the family..

[Quickened1]

[1fastzx14]

Prayers sent

[dannyt]

RIP Brother

[feelergaugephil]

You couldn't pay me enough to be a motorman, they take their lives in their hands everyday, sadly though, pulling the detail on funerals is highly dangerous, worse than patrolling.
Prayers sent to family, goodnight my brother..........

[s2tbolt]

More info...

____________________________________________

One of the guys in our motor division was killed in a crash yesterday while doing a mardi gras escort.

Terrebonne Officer Down - Captain Timothy Bergeron


HOUMA — Kate Bergeron knew that her husband took great pride in his role as a motorcycle officer, especially during Carnival season.

She also begged him each year to stop.

“I was always afraid it would take his life,” she said.

That fear became reality Sunday morning when Terrebonne sheriff’s Capt. Timothy Bergeron was hit and killed while escorting a Mardi Gras float to take part in the Krewe of Titans parade.

Bergeron, 49, a deputy for 26 years, served under four different Terrebonne Parish sheriffs.

Bergeron, other deputies and Houma Police officers were escorting Titans floats on La. 311 at 7:08 a.m., State Police said. Bergeron was driving his department-owned 2009 Harley Davidson, emergency lights activated, north in the southbound lane as the convoy approached Krumbhaar Drive, near Polk Street, police

said.

Shelly K. Ordoyne, 36, of Raceland, behind the wheel of a 2002 Lincoln Continental, was waiting to turn left onto La. 311 from Krumbhaar. The driver of one the floats, 44-year-old Cleveland Ordoyne of Lockport, slowed to a near stop and waved the Lincoln to make a turn in front of him, according to the State Police report.

“Neither Mr. Ordoyne nor Ms. Ordoyne observed Capt. Bergeron approaching,” the agency’s news release says. “Ms. Ordoyne could not see due to the floats and the sun’s position in the sky when she proceeded to pull out and make a left

turn.”

Shelly Ordoyne spotted Bergeron when she was three-quarters into the turn and steered right to avoid him, said State Police Troop C spokesman Bryan Zeringue. Bergeron also tried to avoid the wreck by braking hard and laying the motorcycle onto the pavement. The two collided in spite of both drivers’ efforts, Zeringue said.

Rescuers worked frantically to save Bergeron’s life, but he was pronounced dead at Terrebonne General Medical Center.

Shelly Ordoyne, who suffered injuries described as minor, was treated and released.

Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois, who was in Miami for the Super Bowl, returned to Houma Sunday morning.

Bourgeois said he counted Bergeron as a colleague and a close friend. The two served together on motorcycle-patrol details for many years, Bourgeois said.

“He touched many lives in the course of his career,” Bourgeois said. “It’s going to be a big loss, a huge loss.”

Bergeron began his career as a uniformed deputy in 1985 under Sheriff Ronnie Duplantis. He later served under Charlton Rozands. In 1992, when Jerry Larpenter was Sheriff, he was promoted sergeant. In 1995, he was assigned to the D.A.R.E. program, a drug-education effort targeting youngsters, began work as a school-resource officer, and was promoted to lieutenant.

His motorcycle-patrol work began in 1999. Ten years later, under Bourgeois, he was promoted to captain and became supervisor of the D.A.R.E. and school-resource programs.

Most recently he had been making improvements to the department’s computer system and performed community relations.

“He taught himself on computers,” Bourgeois said. “He could knock you out a Power Point presentation in five

minutes.”

His D.A.R.E. graduations included elaborate presentations ranging from Power Point projections to mixes of music, strobe lights and even a smoke machine. His college-aged children sometimes helped.

Bergeron possessed many impressive skills, Bourgeois said, that had little to do with work.

“He could draw, he could stain glass like he had done it for his whole life,” Bourgeois said.

Chad Ordoyne, husband of the woman whose car was involved in the collision, said she and the rest of his family are having difficulty coping with the

tragedy.

Shelly Ordoyne had left her job at a Polk Street assisted-living home after working all night. Normally she would turn onto La. 311 and head for Lafayette Street, eventually making her way to La. 182 for the trip home to Raceland.

But on Sunday morning she saw the parade floats and their escorts in the distance, and decided to avoid them by turning onto Krumbhaar, not realizing it had no outlet.

“She turned around and was back at 311,” he said.

That’s where she attempted to make the turn that was never completed. Chad Ordoyne said. That was at a little after 7 a.m., an hour earlier than usual to accommodate the Super Bowl.

“We really feel for the family,” he said of Bergeron’s kin. “It’s a hard thing for us.”

Bergeron’s family had planned to join him in cheering the New Orleans Saints to victory Sunday night.

Instead they gathered to mourn and remember the fallen deputy.

Among the things that made him special, loved ones said, were the things he created.

He once made a Batman costume, complete with a cape, boots and pointed-ears. He made a Cat Woman costume, just as meticulously constructed, for his wife,

Kate.

Her twin daughters, JoDee and Kaleigh, 20, proudly displayed the miniature Houma Indian village made for a social-studies course. He not only helped them make the burial mound, stream and 2-inch trees, he took the girls to a local Indian mound to teach them about the culture they were attempting to recreate.

He and Kate were married for 10 years and between them had six children from previous marriages. One of his sons, Steven Bergeron, is assigned to the Sheriff’s Office narcotics division.

What Kate Bergeron remembers her husband for is his dedication to family.

“He stood by my side and never left,” Kate Bergeron said.

Bergeron, one of five children, grew up in Gray and graduated from H.L. Bourgeois High. He was 19 when he joined the Sheriff’s Office, inspired by his crossing-guard grandfather.

Mike Bergeron remembers his skinny young brother wearing an ill-fitting patrolman’s hat on his first day. He feared for his younger brother’s safety, but saw him grow into the position.

Timothy Bergeron spent Saturday night riding in the Krewe of Aquarius parade, arriving home about 2 a.m. Sunday, Kate

said.

He awoke three hours later and headed out to escort the Krewe of Titans floats from the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center to the staging area at the Southland

Mall.

As he dressed, Kate said, she told him she loved him and to be careful.

Staff Writer Matthew Pleasant can be reached at 857-2202 or matthew.pleasant@houmatoday.com.
____________________________________________

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