Holly MatkinQueens, NY – New York Police Department (NYPD) Officer Marc St. Arromand was killed on April 11, after he crashed his motorcycle while on his way to work and was hit by an oncoming vehicle.
Officer St. Arromand, 42, lost control of his 2011 Yamaha motorcycle as he was traveling westbound on the Belt Parkway along Merrick Boulevard at approximately 5:30 a.m., Newsday reported.
Investigators said the motorcycle was upended after it possibly struck debris on the roadway, and that the veteran officer was thrown off of the bike and into a metal guardrail.
He was then struck by a 2017 Chevrolet Camaro.
The 53-year-old driver of the Camaro remained at the scene, police said.
The gravely injured officer was rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead just after 6:30 a.m., the Malverne-Lynbrook Patch reported.
Officer St. Arromand, who was assigned to the department’s Highway Unit No. 2, was on his way to work at the NYPD’s Flatbush Avenue precinct when the crash occurred, according to Newsday.
He was wearing a helmet with a face visor at the time of the collision, which remains under investigation by the NYPD’s Highway Patrol Collision Investigation Squad.
Officer St. Arromand, a 14-year veteran-of-the-force, was originally from Haiti, according to police officials.
“He always wanted to be a police officer,” his cousin, Ernest St. Arromand, told the New York Daily News. “It is something that runs in the family. His father was in the military in Haiti, as was his grandfather…He was a good, good man. He loved the job.”
Officer St. Arromand leaves behind his wife, Cecilia, and their five children, 11-year-old Sa’Niyah, nine-year-old Cayla, four-year-old Michael, two-year-old Daniel, and newborn Jason, according to a fundraising page established to help his family in the wake of their loss.
“It’s a beautiful family,” NYPD Chief of Transportation Thomas Chan told the New York Post. “His kids are just adorable. His wife is holding up for now, but its very tough on the family.”
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio extended his condolences to Officer St. Arromand and the NYPD during a press conference on April 11, the New York Post reported.
“Today when you see members of the NYPD, please extend your condolences to all of them,” de Blasio said.
He described Officer St. Arromand as a “brave police officer,” and said that his death was “a very, very painful moment” for the city.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with their family,” the mayor said.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of New York Police Department Officer Marc St. Arromand, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.
Rest easy, hero. We’ll hold the line from here.