MOLINE ACRES, Mo. — A Moline Acres sergeant who was hit and killed during a traffic stop is being remembered as a dedicated and honorable man.
He served north county communities for more than two decades.
Sergeant Herschel Turner was the kind of guy who would give the shirt off his back, Moline Acres police chief Gregory Moore said on Sunday.
“He was an outstanding asset to the City of Moline Acres and the community,” Moore said. “He served the city proudly.”
“The people who knew him, the people he worked around and the community that knew sergeant Turner over the last five years in Moline Acres, knew that he was a very dedicated, honorable man,” Moore said.
Moore also described Turner as the "perfect attendance-type."
"He loved his job and he did it well," Moore said.
Turner, 54 years old, was a father and husband.
He served north county communities for 22 years as a police officer and had been with the Moline Acres Police Department since 2015.
“Our hearts go out to his family, friends and relatives,” Moore said. “His family will be part of our family forever.”
Moore described Turner’s death as a “freak accident” during a press conference on Sunday.
"His unfortunate death occurred while serving our community," Moore said.
Early Saturday morning, Turner was hit by another officer’s car while assisting with a traffic stop.
Watch the press conference with Moline Acres police chief Gregory Moore below
In an exclusive interview with Byers, Ihler shared what he knew of the investigation into the crash so far but cautioned there are still some unanswered questions.
READ THE FULL EXECLUSIVE STORY HERE: ‘He is mentally broken’ | Police chief describes moments before officer fatally hit police sergeant
A Bellefontaine Neighbors police officer was on his way to a traffic stop to assist officers that were already on scene, including Turner. The officers had pulled over a car near Chambers Road and Lance Drive for a traffic violation.
As the officer was on the way to the scene to help, he saw another car driving erratically. He tried to get the license plate on the car but couldn't, so he sped up to try to get it, Ihler told Byers during the interview. The car that was driving erratically ran through a stop sign and eventually crashed into the officers' cars on scene on the original incident.
Ihler said the officer responding as back up saw Turner standing to the left of the cars, somewhat in the traffic lane, and that's when the officer responding swerved to the right into a grassy area to try and avoid a collision, Ihler said.
That's when Turner was hit by the officer's car. Ihler told Byers he believes Turner ran into the grassy area to avoid the car he saw coming.
5 On Your Side's Christine Byers spoke to Moline Acres Mayor Michele DeShay and someone who knew Turner for 30 years.
“He’s always been an officer who came in and did his job and didn’t complain, at least not around me,” she quipped. “He was very funny but very serious about his job, a mentor for our children in the community and just always willing to be that individual who was always first to help out … so it doesn’t surprise me he was helping out on a stop, he was right there to help out on call that came out.”
If ever there was a city event, including Moline Acres Awareness Day, Turner was the first to show up and help set up or break down after the event, DeShay recalled.
He also had a stutter.
“When he got excited, you could understand nothing he was saying,” DeShay said. “He would make fun of himself and make other people laugh. He could have been a comedian.”
DeShay called the accident a “tragic situation,” and said Turner’s death is “a horrific loss.”
“It’s definitely unfortunate for his family, for us and for the other officer that was involved,” she said. “Our prayers go out to the family, Moline Acres, Bellefontaine Neighbors Police and the officer involved in this.”
Minette Miller said she knew Turner for about 30 years and once worked with him when he drove a school bus for Saint Louis Public Schools.
“If ever there was a child who came out of the house without a hat or a coat or mittens or whatever, he would go on his breaks and buy them what they needed,” she recalled of the time they spent bussing children from the city to county schools as part of the desegregation program.
She also said his humor was contagious.
“He could make a joke out of anything, even just a dog walking down the street, he was just that funny,” she said. “If you met him, you loved him."
“We’re all human and I’m sure we’ve all ruffled some feathers at some point, but I don’t know anybody that could tell you anything negative about him. He was one of the funniest, sweetest people with a personality that was larger than life.”
BackStoppers is assisting Turner’s family during this time.
“The dedication to service and protection from Sgt. Hershel Turner will never be forgotten. He will be honored and remembered always. Our deepest thoughts and prayers are going out to all who loved and knew Sgt. Turner,” Chief Ron Battelle, BackStoppers Executive Director said in a release.
Tributes from other police departments in the area flooded social media after learning the news of Turner's death.
