OfficerBlueAt around 4:30 AM, Sergeant Perez, 60, left his home to try to drive in to his station. His wife urged him to reconsider going in to work, but the 34-year veteran told her, “I’ve got work to do.”
The sergeant spent two and a half hours driving around trying to find a route around the flooding. He called his command to let them know that he couldn’t make it to his duty station. He then attempted to respond to a different station in Kingwood in order to help there.
The dive team and the Cajun Navy launched a search for Sergeant Perez. His body was located in his patrol car Sunday night. It appears that in the darkness he drove into the water at a 16 foot underpass where he drowned in his car.
At the time he was located, conditions were too hazardous to recover him. Officers remained on watch until the morning. His body was finally recovered at 8 AM Tuesday.
Chief Art Acevedo said that the dive team recovered his body when their only meal was a pack of water.
Sergeant Perez leaves behind his wife Cheryl, and his son and daughter.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said, “He tried to do his best to be in position to serve the people of Houston, and he died in trying.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Sergeant Steve Perez. Rest easy, hero. We’ll hold the line from here.
Sergeant Steve Perez, your life mattered.