By Bob Ussery
New Orleans Times-Picayune
New Orleans, La. — An off-duty New Orleans police officer died Sunday afternoon in an apparent one-vehicle traffic accident in eastern New Orleans.
The officer was Sidney Trepagnier Jr., 50, of New Orleans, a 26-year veteran who worked in the Traffic Division, said Garry Flot, a New Orleans Police Department spokesman.
Trepagnier apparently was traveling west on Terminal Road about a mile south of Interstate 10 and just east of the Industrial Canal, police said. When he reached a point about a quarter-mile east of Jourdan Road South, the sport utility vehicle he was driving veered left and entered a ditch just north of the Intracoastal Waterway.
A passer-by called police at 4:56 p.m. to report the SUV in the ditch. Police, firefighters and emergency medical technicians discovered Trepagnier dead at the scene.
The death appeared to be from injuries received in the crash, but the case is unclassified pending further investigation, police said. An autopsy will be performed today.
Some relatives went to the deserted paved road after the death. Police said relatives told them the officer had gone to Terminal Road to fish in the Intracoastal Waterway, but whether he had been fishing was not immediately determined.
Police Superintendent Warren Riley and assistant superintendents went to the scene, which is in an industrial area near Jourdan Road South and Almonaster Boulevard. A sign on Jourdan Road South marked Terminal Road as the Crescent Crown distributor exit.
Police psychologist Armond Devezin also was at the scene. He said he would speak to Trepagnier’s relatives.
Lt. Bruce Adams, commander of the police Public Affairs Division, also was present. He said a community of fishers regularly test the waters along Terminal Road.
The case will be investigated by Sgt. Donovan Livaccari, commander of the Fatality Investigation Unit.
Copyright 2007 New Orleans Times-Picayune