San Angelo Motorcycle Police Officer Killed in Crash on Knickerbocker

A San Angelo Police Officer, and a leader of the San Angelo Coalition of Police, was killed today while escorting the San Angelo drag boats to a sponsor’s parking lot on Knickerbocker from Lake Nasworthy.

Sgt. Korby Kennedy’s patrol motorcycle was struck by a black Nissan Rougue SUV that pulled out in front of the convoy of boats that Kennedy was escorting in the 3200 block of Knickerbocker Road and the Albert Street intersection.

He was pronounced dead at Shannon Medical Center.

Kennedy served as the president of the San Angelo Coalition of Police during last year’s Meet and Confer meetings. He led the police organization’s effort to obtain pay raises for the entire police force. Kennedy was a respected traffic investigator. He was the source to the media for many of the details of major traffic crashes throughout the city.

Not a dry eye was present at the scene of the crash that happened just after 6 p.m. Thursday. The 9-1-1 call was logged at 6:06 p.m. Kennedy was a close colleague of Police Chief Tim Vasquez who, with solemn tears in his eyes, requested that the news of Kennedy’s crash not appear on the Internet until police had time to notify Kennedy’s wife and family. We held the story.

More details as they are available will be posted here.

Update 9:30 p.m.

“It’s a sad day for the SAPD and our community. We lost an officer and a very close friend. Someone who I would consider a brother,” Police Chief Tim Vasquez said.

Vasquez said that the Texas DPS is assuming the crash investigation to prevent any appearance of a conflict of interest.

Before DPS took over the crash investigation, Vasquez said he gathered the preliminary information. Kennedy was among several patrol officers escorting a line of drag boats being pulled on trailers from Lake Nasworthy to the site of a boat race sponsor, Twin Peaks Restaurant, on Knickerbocker.

Near the Albert Street intersection, a Nissan Rogue with a driver and a passenger pulled out of a private drive and struck Kennedy who was driving his motorcycle.

Kennedy was pronounced dead at 6:39 p.m. at Shannon Medical Center.

Vasquez said that the passenger of the other vehicle was injured, but he did not believe the injuries were major.

Vasquez said that Kennedy started with the department in 1995, but that he knew Kennedy all of his life. “I grew up playing peewee baseball and football with Korby,” Vasquez said. “I’ve been doing this job for 11 years and this is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

Vasquez and the senior leadership of the police force briefed all officers before releasing the details of Kennedy’s death to the media at around 8 p.m. Thursday night. “Remember why we do what we do, and to honor Korby by continuing to do our job with professionalism,” Vasquez said he told all San Angelo police.

“We’re going to miss him,” Vasquez said.

“If the citizens want to honor Korby right now, tie a blue ribbon around your tree,” Vasquez said, holding back tears.

Kennedy’s body will be sent to Lubbock for an autopsy.  At 10 p.m. tonight, police officers will escort Kennedy’s body from San Angelo to Lubbock. A detail of SAPD will stand guard over Kennedy’s body throughout the autopsy and accompany it home to San Angelo, Vasquez said.

Below, a video of the procession carrying Kennedy's body in front of San Angelo City Hall towards the city limits. At the edge of town, a smaller detail of SAPD officers will continue the escort of the hearse to Lubbock.

Below, a video of the press conference with San Angelo Police Chief Tim Vasquez.