Fallen Peel cop, friend remembered as 'very good' kids
By Joe Warmington, Toronto Sun
First posted: Wednesday, September 13, 2017 05:19 PM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, September 13, 2017 07:51 PM EDT
Peel Regional Police Const. Tristan Kettles would have turned 26 on Friday. Sean William Seeber turned 27 on July 28.
It’s just too young to die.
Sadly, there will be no birthday party for Tristan. But, there will still be a gathering.
The popular police bagpiper and his pal were killed in a car crash on Lake Shore Blvd. — a location inside his own division — early Saturday morning.
Friends have been invited on Friday to pay their condolences at the Turner and Porter Peel Chapel, 2180 Hurontario St. (Hwy. 10, north of QEW) from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. and 6 p.m.-9 p.m.
A funeral Service will be held Saturday at the Portico Community Church, 1814 Barbertown Rd., Mississauga, followed by a reception at the Wyldewood Golf Club in Oakville. Memorial donations will go to the Wounded Warrior’s Fund.
He is survived by his dad, Jim — a much loved staff seargent with Peel’s force — his mom, Stephanie, his sister, Tiffany, and his long-term love, Arielle.
If I could turn back the clock and change anything this week, it would be to reverse what happened to two young men in Mississauga.
Just about every copper at Peel’s 11 Division on Wednesday said just that.
But you can’t.
“It’s been a healing exercise,” said his dad. “It has not been easy. He was a good police officer, an old soul and a good kid.”
Before we go any further, Jim Kettles said it’s important to note something else.
“Please don’t forget his good friend was also killed in this, as well. He was a very good kid, as well, and our hearts go out to his family. It’s devastating.”
He was talking about Sean Seeber.
Information sent over to me by a friend said the only child is survived by his parents, Scott and Tara Seeber, and his girlfriend, Amanda Tanti, “with whom he was so deeply in love.”
Our hearts go out to them.
The notice said as a “passenger” in a single-car crash, “Sean was struck down in the best years of his life.” It described him as “an honours graduate of the Humber College Police Foundation Program” who was “actively pursuing his dream to be a police officer with the Halton Regional Police Service.”
It also said “consistent with his wish to improve the lives of others, Sean was employed as a mental health assistant at Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital.”
He is described as being an “incredibly vibrant, ambitious and compassionate young man, with a hunger for life.”
It’s not fair. Funeral arrangements are to be announced.
Toronto Police are investigating the crash which also resulted in injuries to a third man.
“Tough times,” said a young constable at 11 Division, whose eyes were welling up with tears. “They were both very good guys.”
Everybody there said that.
“Energizer Bunny,” said a sergeant of Kettles. “He never stopped working and trying to help people. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree. He was just like his dad. Almost like a carbon copy. A terrific person and police officer together.”
Many of them said the same thing about Seeber.
“Tristan would likely have ended up as chief and Sean would have made an incredible police officer, too,” said one cop who knew them both. “It’s terrible how this turned out.”
I’d like to change it for them but, like all tragedies, there’s not a darned thing we can do about it other than grieve and say, “Rest in Peace.”
Fallen Peel cop, friend remembered as 'very good' kids | WARMINGTON | Toronto &
Mountie killed after stopping to change tire for motorists
THE CANADIAN PRESS
First posted: Wednesday, September 13, 2017 03:35 PM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, September 13, 2017 03:44 PM EDT
MEMRAMCOOK, N.B. — A Nova Scotia Mountie who worked to educate the public about the need to slow down when driving past emergency vehicles was killed Tuesday after being struck by a utility van while helping motorists change a flat tire.
Const. Frank Deschenes, a 12-year veteran of the force who worked out of the Amherst detachment, died at the scene when the van collided with his police car and an SUV shortly after 6 p.m. on the Trans-Canada Highway near Memramcook, N.B.
“It is extremely challenging to describe what it feels like when we lose one of our own,” said Asst. Commissioner Brian Brennan.
RCMP Cpl. Jullie Rogers-Marsh said the preliminary investigation has determined Deschenes stopped to assist two people in the SUV change a tire. The officer, a 35-year-old former member of the force’s famed Musical Ride who got married this summer, died at the scene.
“The two people with the SUV were taken to hospital and the driver of the van was also taken to hospital where he was treated, released and has been taken into police custody,” Rogers-Marsh said.
Rogers-Marsh couldn’t say why the Nova Scotia officer was in New Brunswick at the time, but did confirm that Deschenes was on-duty and in uniform.
Cpl. Darren Galley, who had been Deschenes’ supervisor in traffic services in Amherst, said they were involved in initiatives to inform the public about legislation that requires drivers to slow down and move over when emergency vehicles are stopped along the highway.
“I think traffic was his passion,” Galley said from Moncton, where he now serves. “He came to work everyday and did a 100 per cent job ... He was always friendly, always a happy, go-lucky guy and he’s going to be sadly missed.”
Galley said the officer had transferred from Bible Hill, N.S., to Ottawa at one point to become part of the Musical Ride before transferring back to Nova Scotia at the Amherst detachment.
He was also a tactical unit member and had won the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Nine years ago, Deschenes was praised for preventing a possible train derailment with just seconds to spare by putting himself in the path of an oncoming train.
Early on Dec. 1, 2008, a car was stuck on railway tracks just south of Brookfield, N.S., after striking a pole and spinning out of control as a CN freight train approached.
Deschenes acted calmly and coolly by crashing his police cruiser into the car, pushing it out of the way just 45 seconds before the train arrived. The RCMP said at the time the officer’s selfless actions saved lives by preventing a derailment.
Brennan said he couldn’t provide many details about Tuesday’s accident since it is under investigation.
Rogers-Marsh said investigators would have to determine if everyone was in their vehicles at the time of the crash or standing by the vehicles.
Photographer John Morris was driving to Moncton when he came upon the accident.
“As I got closer I noticed there were cars in places where they shouldn’t have been on the side of the road. I noticed a lots of flashing lights and a police car that looked severely damaged,” he said.
Morris’ photos show damage to both the front and rear of the RCMP cruiser.
“Just looking at it you got a bad feeling about it,” he said.
Morris said he knows many RCMP officers, and it was difficult to view the wreckage.
“They put their lives at risk a lot. They have a tough and difficult job and don’t receive a lot of credit for what they do,” he said.
Rogers-Marsh said it has been a difficult time for members of the force.
“When our members deal with fatal accidents it’s never easy to deal with that. It’s certainly very difficult when it’s one of your own co-workers or somebody that you might know. Our thoughts go out to the member’s family, friends and his co-workers,” she said.
The eastbound lanes of the highway were closed for several hours while emergency crews attended the scene. The highway was re-opened Wednesday morning.
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