An assistant warden with the Opelousas Police Department died in a crash early Sunday morning while on her way to work.
Assistant Warden Peggy Sylvester, 55, was trying to pass a car in her 2007 Ford Expedition police SUV around 4:45 a.m. on Highway 31 when she lost control of the vehicle, according to KLFY-TV.
The vehicle left a road and went through a ditch before hitting a tree.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sylvester was scheduled to work a 12-hour shift Sunday.
She was responsible for booking inmates, making sure that the inmates were feed and making sure that they're put into the fingerprint system.
Sylvester served three years with the Opelousas Police Department. Before that, she worked for the Eunice Police Department and for the St. Landry Sheriff's Office.
Her law enforcement career spanned 14 years.
"It's just a sad moment right now for our department and for her family, and we want to make sure that her family knows our heartfelt sympathies go out to them," Opelousas Chief of Police Perry Gallow told the news station.
Sylvester is survived by both her parents, her fiancée Sgt. Rodney May of the Opelousas Police Department and her three kids.
Her youngest daughter, Amber, is a junior police officer and has aspirations to one day become an officer.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Officer.com will provide more information on this story as it becomes available.
