Man indicted for officer's murder

By Matthew Penix
St. Tammany News
Published on Friday, August 29, 2008 9:46 AM CDT

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A St. Tammany Parish grand jury has indicted a Gulfport, Miss., man on vehicular homicide charges in the death of a St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office corrections officer in February.

James E. Delancey Jr., 37, is accused of killing Kerry Snaples, 22, of Ponchatoula on U.S. Highway 190 near Covington on Feb. 24 in an alcohol related crash.

Snaples was killed at 4:23 a.m. near Redwood Drive, just shy of his two-year anniversary with the Sheriff’s Office.

Snaples, driving a 2000 Honda motorcycle on his way home from work, hit Delancey’s 1996 Chevy S-10 pickup truck, which was stopped on U.S. 190 with no working taillights, police said.

At the time, Lt. Jack West, spokesman for the Covington Police Department, said Delancey’s truck was out of gas and partly in a side ditch.

Snaples was rushed to St. Tammany Parish Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Delancey, whose blood alcohol level registered 0.3 percent, more than three times the legal limit, told police he thought he in his own driveway at the time of the accident, West said.

Delancey was arrested and charged with first offense DWI, driving with a suspended license and vehicular homicide. It is not known why his license is currently under suspension.

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Comments

2 comment(s)

kandybars wrote on May 4, 2009 8:11 PM:

" the man in truck blowing 3 times the legal limit and a belly full of oxycotton had nothing to do with it tho hu? and it was not his first offense his license was already suspended at the time for a number of dwi's. and he has since be tried and convicted. "

Jack wrote on Aug 29, 2008 11:45 AM:

" Not trying to vindicate this gentleman at all, just adding to the story. Drive to redwwod lane a wide open stretch of 190 towards Hammond.
The scenario begins... truck out of gas partially off roadway, motorcycle with headlights on truck with tail lights off, reflection from tail lights not enough due to excessive speed of motorcycle and reaction time of the young man involved. Guy in truck at fault absolutely... young man on motorcycle share the blame... you bet.
We as taxpayersputting this guy up for ten years and thinking he will change... ludicrous. sorry for the Family "

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