By Lyda Longa
The Daytona Beach News-Journal
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — After almost nine years, the emotions over his friend and partner’s death are still raw for Daytona Beach police Detective Todd Barnes.
Those feelings resurfaced Monday when Barnes’ wish to honor the memory of fallen Officer Kevin John Fischer came true as a stretch of Interstate 95 was named for the 30-year-old policeman.
The one-mile section of the interstate between Beville Road and International Speedway Boulevard, now known as the Kevin John Fischer Memorial Highway, is something Barnes had been working to get for more than a year.
“I thought the best way to honor my friend and partner was with a stretch of highway,” Barnes said as he shed tears at a ceremony at Daytona Beach City Commission chambers. “He was a great person and a great friend.”
Fischer’s wife, Kim, was pregnant when he was killed. Their 8-year-old son was at Monday’s ceremony and never met the man for whom he’s named.
On Sept. 4, 1998, Kevin Fischer stopped to help a Volusia County sheriff’s deputy who was slightly injured in an accident on I-95 near the Bellevue Avenue overpass.
According to police reports, Kenneth Arthur Noel, then 31, of Bunnell was driving about 70 mph in a 65-mph zone when he tried to avoid traffic that had slowed ahead of him because of the deputy’s accident. Noel lost control of his pickup, however, and went off the shoulder and then careened across the highway, hitting both Fischer and the female deputy he was helping.
The deputy suffered several injuries, including two broken legs. Fischer was killed almost instantly.
Most of the attendees at Monday’s ceremony were moved to tears as Barnes spoke of his relationship with Fischer.
Barnes said the idea of honoring Fischer by having a portion of I-95 named after him came about two years ago after Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Darryl Haywood was killed on Interstate 4 and Ormond Beach Police Officer Bob Grim was killed on North Nova Road. Both lawmen had sections of highways and roads named after them.
“I felt something was missing,” Barnes said. “I knew I had to do this.”
He finally got in touch with state Rep. Joyce Cusack, D-DeLand, who filed a bill in the House of Representatives, while Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach, sponsored a bill in the Senate.
Copyright 2007 The Daytona Beach News-Journal