NOPD Officer killed after first shift

**kjlaw** · 12-04-07, 07:24 PM

New NOPD officer dies in early-morning crash

Posted by Times-Picayune December 04, 2007 11:23AM

Categories: Breaking News
A 21-year-old, off-duty New Orleans Police officer died early Tuesday morning in a single-vehicle accident in Hammond.
Another man, a 22-year-old deputy with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's office, is in a hospital with serious injuries.
Matthew Schmit, of Ponchatoula, completed hours earlier his first official shift with the NOPD, following his graduation Friday from the recruit class, said Blair Foster, spokeswoman for the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Department.
Schmit was driving a vehicle eastbound on General Ott Road around 3:18 a.m. Tuesday and entered a sharp curve in the roadway at a high rate of speed, according to the Tangipahoa Sheriff's Office.
Schmit's vehicle left the roadway, hit a culvert and flipped several times, the office said. Both Schmit and his passenger, Joseph Valenti of Hammond, were ejected from the vehicle.
Schmit was pronounced dead at the scene. Valenti was taken to North Oaks Hospital for treatment, the sheriff's office said.

**Jenna** · 12-04-07, 07:28 PM

Rest in peace.

**Illiy** · 12-04-07, 07:31 PM

Prayers for both of them... That is so sad....

**Pudge** · 12-04-07, 07:32 PM

Rest easy

**Buttercup** · 12-04-07, 07:32 PM

Rest in peace.

**lewisipso** · 12-04-07, 08:12 PM

Damn.

**Tuff** · 12-04-07, 09:18 PM

Prayers for all involved....

**depusm12** · 12-25-07, 09:21 PM

RIP. Man that bites

**Star Man** · 12-26-07, 04:08 PM

RIP

Possibly the excitement of getting the dream job he always wanted got away from him. Very sad. Prayers for his family, and the family of the injured officer.