LAFOURCHE PARISH, La. — Lafourche Deputy Sergeant Nicholas Pepper is being remembered as an officer who always went the extra mile to help his fellow deputies. He died yesterday in the line of duty when police were trying to make an arrest.
The Sheriff said he worked extra hours to help fellow officers and provide for the family he leaves behind.
Family and fellow deputies are planning his funeral with full honors. They are hoping to have Wednesday morning, before the Easter holy days.
The hearse carrying fallen Lafourche deputy, Sergeant Nicholas Pepper passes the site where he took his last breath. He was doing what he loved.
“If you're old enough to remember the TV series Dragnet, he’s Joe Friday. He is that dependable workhorse, smart, determined, diligent guy, that shows to work, shows up to work every day, never complains, stays out as late as he has to, gets the job done,” said Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre.
It was around 5:00 Sunday morning. Sergeant Pepper was at a Highway 1 intersection in Thibodaux, keeping traffic out of, what police call, the hot zone. Houma police were in pursuit of a driver. He had finally stopped. Negotiations began and went on for 20 minutes.
“And then, out of nowhere, he (the suspect) just accelerated,” Webre said.
Sergeant Pepper jumped back into his cruiser, anticipating a pursuit.
“And at the very last moment he took his vehicle, and decided he was going to make it a weapon of mass destruction, a dangerous weapon, and turned directly, into the passenger side. It was just a horrendous, horrendous crash," Webre said.
Nick, as he was called by friends, was only 44. He had also worked as a Houma police officer and Terrebonne Parish deputy. His widow also worked for the Lafourche Sheriff's department and is now assigned to the DA's office as an investigator. One of his two daughters is still in college. His son graduates from high school in weeks.
“I walked into church service at 7:00 last night where I attend at Nicholls, and his daughter walked in, and we embraced and comforted each other,” Webre said.
Monday morning the entire department gathered to cry and have some laughs over Nick stories, about a dedicated officer who wasn't even on shift, but was pulling extra hours helping when he could have been at home.
The sheriff says the suspect is still in the hospital and will be booked when he gets out.
He wanted an independent force to handle the investigation, so it has been turned over to State Police.
The prosecution will be turned over to another jurisdiction as well.
If you'd like to help the family, you can donate to the memorial fund below:
Sergeant Nicholas Pepper Memorial Fund
200 Canal Blvd.
Thibodaux, LA 70301
You can also donate here:
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