FL Officer Dies in Tractor-Trailer Collision

[Ken [NY]]

FL Officer Dies in Tractor-Trailer Collision

Riviera Beach, FL - 8/18/2001

Palm Beach Post
By Joe Brogan

Patrolman Donald Eberhardt Jr. made a last-minute arrest for cocaine
possession at the end of his 3-11 p.m. shift Thursday. It was a
routine matter for an officer with one of the highest apprehension
records in the police department, but the resulting paperwork held him
at the station a few extra hours.

When the 32-year-old father of four finally left for his Royal Palm
Beach home early Friday, tragedy was minutes away.

At 1:25 a.m. his black 1990 Ford Mustang slammed underneath a slowing
or stopped tractor-trailer in the right hand westbound lane in the
1400 block of Blue Heron Boulevard, just 2 1/2 miles west of the
station.

Eberhardt, who was wearing a seat belt, died of massive head injuries,
according to the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office.

Investigators said there were no skid marks indicating he had tried to
brake, and a witness told the Florida Highway Patrol he was going at
or about the 40 mph speed limit, said FHP Lt. Pembrook Burrows.

Truck driver Raul Sosa, 43, of the Everglades Mobile Home Park in
Clewiston, and his passenger, Jemma Dudallon, 49, of Hialeah, were not
injured.

The FHP investigation is continuing, Burrows said.

A former U.S. Army military policeman, Eberhardt was known for his
strong work ethic, said Sgt. Rob Coppin, his immediate supervisor.

"He was a very, very hard worker and outgoing and personable," Coppin
said. "Any time you asked him to do something, it was done."

Detective Sgt. Pat Galligan added: "He'd stay out there and make that
last-minute arrest. He was an outstanding cop with all the tools."

Assistant Police Chief David Harris said, "Several older people in our
Crime Watch called me this morning crying, after seeing it on the
news. I guess that's a testimonial to his dedication as a police
officer."

Although he had been with the department only 17 months, his
performance in the patrol division was so exemplary he was transferred
to the community policing unit, which works with residents and
business owners to prevent crime, Harris said.

He leaves his wife, Sieni, 33, a 9-month-old daughter and a 4-year-old
son. He has two other children from a previous marriage.

Visitation will be Sunday and Monday and the funeral on Tuesday at the
Palms West Funeral Home in Royal Palm Beach.

Ken [NY]
--
Chairperson,
Department of Redundancy Department
____________________________________

To do is to be - Socrates
To be is to do - Sartre
Do be do be do - Sinatra

For the spam search bots:
tos...@aol.com ab...@aol.com
ab...@yahoo.com ab...@hotmail.com
ab...@msn.com ab...@sprint.com
ab...@earthlink.com
ab...@corp.webtv.net

[mak]

Even the police have to pay attention while they drive. Is there any other
point you were trying to make with this post?

"Ken [NY]" <Ken4...@usa.NO-SPAMnet> wrote in message
news:3b7e835...@news.speakeasy.net...

[Ken [NY]]

On Sun, 19 Aug 2001 16:35:38 -0400, "mak" <mak...@tir.com> shouted:

>Even the police have to pay attention while they drive. Is there any other
>point you were trying to make with this post?

This news group is dedicated to the exposure of cops who do
wrong. Didn't the paragraph...

> Patrolman Donald Eberhardt Jr. made a last-minute arrest for cocaine
> possession at the end of his 3-11 p.m. shift Thursday. It was a
> routine matter for an officer with one of the highest apprehension
> records in the police department, but the resulting paperwork held him
> at the station a few extra hours.

...make you just a bit suspicious? Drugs arrest? Cops
involved? Death involved? Doesn't it set off warning bells?

[INTHEDOGHOUSE]

>Subject: Re: FL Officer Dies in Tractor-Trailer Collision
>From: Ken4...@usa.NO-SPAMnet (Ken [NY])
>Date: 8/19/01 4:16 PM Mountain Daylight Time
>Message-id: <3b8d39d4...@news.speakeasy.net>

>
>On Sun, 19 Aug 2001 16:35:38 -0400, "mak" <mak...@tir.com> shouted:
>
>>Even the police have to pay attention while they drive. Is there any other
>>point you were trying to make with this post?
>
> This news group is dedicated to the exposure of cops who do
>wrong. Didn't the paragraph...
>> Patrolman Donald Eberhardt Jr. made a last-minute arrest for cocaine
>> possession at the end of his 3-11 p.m. shift Thursday. It was a
>> routine matter for an officer with one of the highest apprehension
>> records in the police department, but the resulting paperwork held him
>> at the station a few extra hours.
> ...make you just a bit suspicious? Drugs arrest? Cops
>involved? Death involved? Doesn't it set off warning bells?
>
>
> Ken [NY]
>

What are you saying?

DJ