Off-Duty Philadelphia Police Officer Dies in Hit-&-Run Crash

UPDATE: On Monday, Philadelphia Police charged Louis John Vogwill with homicide by vehicle and related counts.


Philadelphia Police are mourning one of their own after an off-duty officer was struck and killed in a hit-and-run crash Sunday afternoon.

Lamar Poole, a 42-year-old 12th district officer who recently entered his 19th year on the police force, was riding a 2005 Honda motorcycle west on Devereaux Avenue at Roosevelt Boulevard at 4:10 p.m. As he was riding he was suddenly struck by a Toyota Corolla traveling east on Devereaux. The car turned left in front of the motorcycle which hit the side of the vehicle.

Philadelphia Police are mourning an off-duty officer who was killed in a hit-and-run crash Sunday. NBC10’s Doug Shimell has the details.

Officer Poole, who police say was not wearing a helmet, was thrown from his motorcycle and fell to the ground. Witnesses told police the driver, who investigators say is a 58-year-old Philadelphia man, briefly got out of his car and looked at Poole. He then allegedly went back into his car and continued driving north on the Boulevard.

A tow truck driver who witnessed the crash then followed the driver, investigators said.

"Fortunately we had a couple of witnesses, one being a tow truck driver, who followed the vehicle and really helped out big time," said Philadelphia Police Captain John Wilczynski. "He followed the car, pinned the car in and called police." 

Responding officers apprehended the driver and took him into custody. In addition to the hit-and-run, police say the man is suspected of driving under the influence based on a blood test. He has not yet been officially charged.

Poole, who suffered head injuries and internal injuries, was taken to Frankford Torresdale Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 5:02 p.m. 

A procession for Officer Poole began around 7:30 p.m. An escort traveled down I-95 to I-676 to I-76 to take the officer's body from the hospital to the Medical Examiner's Office on South University Avenue in University City. Officers saluted Poole as the procession arrived.

The crash was the 9th deadly hit-and-run in Philadelphia since January 1, 2014, according to police data.

The fatal crash also happened a little over a week after Philadelphia Police Sergeant Rafael Ali was killed when his pick-up truck slammed into a tree.

"This is two in one week where we've lost one of our own," Captain Wilczynski said. "Everyone's a little bit heartbroken about it." 

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