Puerto Rico Police Department, Puerto Rico
End of Watch Sunday, October 6, 1985
Add to My HeroesFrancisco Diaz-Melendez
Sergeant Francisco Diaz-Melendez, Policeman Pedro Burgos-Lacourt, and Policeman Herminio Lopez-Pilar drowned when their patrol car fell through a broken bridge into a swollen river during Tropical Storm Isabel.
The officers were responding to a distress call while driving along PR-52 Luis A. Ferre Expressway. When they arrived at marker 78.1 they did not realize the bridge had collapsed completely, and their vehicle fell into the Coamo River along with other vehicles. It was concluded that heavy rains caused the bridge to collapse and poor visibility obscured the missing portion of the bridge.
Policeman Homero Ortiz-Martinez drowned the following day while working on efforts to recover the patrol car from the river.
Bio
- Age 39
- Tour Not available
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause Automobile crash
Related LODD Deaths
Policeman Herminio Lopez-Pilar
Puerto Rico Police Department, PR
EOW: October 6, 1985
Policeman Pedro Burgos-Lacourt
Puerto Rico Police Department, PR
EOW: October 6, 1985
Policeman Homero Ortiz-Martinez
Puerto Rico Police Department, PR
EOW: October 7, 1985
Most Recent Reflection
View all 3 ReflectionsYour heroism and service is honored today, the 24th anniversary of your death. Your memory lives and you continue to inspire. Thank you for your service. My cherished son Larry Lasater was a fellow police officer murdered in the line of duty on April 24, 2005 while serving as a Pittsburg, CA police officer.
Rest In Peace
Phyllis Loya
Anonymous
October 6, 2009
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