Off-duty deputy killed in crash

[kjlaw]

Tammany deputy killed in accident

by Jeff Adelson, The Times-Picayune Sunday February 24, 2008, 10:34 AM


A St. Tammany Parish sheriff's deputy was killed early Sunday morning when his motorcycle struck a pickup parked in a traffic lane on U.S. 190 by an intoxicated driver, Covington Police officials said.

The deputy was riding home from work at the St. Tammany Parish Jail at about 4:20 a.m. when his 2000 Honda motrocycle crashed into the back of 1996 Chevy S-10 pick-up, which was stopped in in the middle of a westbound traffic lane of the highway near Covington High School, Covington Police spokesman Lt. Jack West said Sunday. The impact knocked the truck into a ditch on the side of the road, West said.
The truck's tail lights were not on and its dark gold and gray paint would have been difficult to see in the dark, West said.
Covington Fire Rescue and Acadian Ambulance transported both the rider of the motorcycle and the driver of the pick-up to St. Tammany Parish Hospital. The rider of the motorcycle was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The motorcyclist had been traveling at between 35 mph and 55 mph at the time of the crash, West said.
The truck's driver, James E. Delancey Jr., 37, Gulfport, Miss., was in the vehicle during the crash, police said. Delancy had prescription opiates in his system and had a blood-alcohol level that was "several times" the legal limit, West said. Police do not believe the deputy had any intoxicants in his system, West said.

"It's just a really sad day," he said.
The name of the deputy was not released Sunday morning until relatives could be notified, West said.
Delancey's driver's license was under suspension at the time of the crash because of previous DWI convictions, West said.
"The guy shouldn't have been driving," he said.
He was booked by the Covington Police Department and transported to St. Tammany Parish Jail, West said. Police initially considered booking Delancey in a jail outside of the parish due to concerns for his safety.

[Jenna]

Rest in peace.

[Illiy]

Prayers

[lewisipso]

Rest easy.

[Willowdared]

prayers en-route

[10-42Adam]

RIP