 Sgt Ocie D. Howard Sergeant Ocie Desay Howard Biographical Information Incident Details |
Sgt. Howard suffered a heart attack Monday night while making an arrest in the 100 block of Sixth Street. The attack occurred about 9:50 p.m. as he was attempting to arrest A.J. Sims, 54, Oak Grove, for public drunkenness. Sgt. Howard was rushed to the St. Francis Hospital, where he was pronounced dead by Dr. John P. Burton, Ouachita Parish Coroner.
The suspect paid for a room at the Majestic Hotel after a previous encounter with Sgt. Howard a few minutes earlier at which time he was instructed to remain off the public streets do to his level of intoxication. The suspect disobeyed this order and was soon after confronted by Sgt. Howard again which resulted in a physical struggle.
As the tussle continued, witnesses quoted Sgt. Howard as saying, “Get your hands off my gun”. Moments later as Sgt. Howard slumped over, he was again quoted as saying “Call headquarters for some help” at which time he collapsed to a sitting position in the street near his patrol unit. The witness said the suspect expressed “joy” as Sgt. Howard took his final breath. The suspect was taken into custody by responding officers.
Sergeant Howard had served with the agency for 12 years. He was survived by his widow, Mrs. Ruth Howard, 4017 Spurgeon Drive, Monroe; three daughters, Mrs. Lucille Howard Johnson, West Monroe, and Misses Pat and Beth Howard, both living at home; his mother, Mrs. Ola Rogers, Monroe, one brother, Selby Howard, Baltimore, MD, and four half-brothers, Wilbur Rogers, Fairbanks, William H. Rogers, Shreveport, Ray R. Rogers, Charlotte, NC, and E. A. Rogers, Jonesboro, and two grandchildren.
A native of Quitman, La., Sgt. Howard completed high school at Jonesboro-Hodge and attended Louisiana Tech. He served in the U.S. Army and came to the Monroe area as a member of Troop F, Louisiana State Police. After working as a trooper for one and one-half years, Howard joined the Monroe Police Department on January 26, 1949. He was promoted to Sergeant on December 1, 1959.
Interment was at the Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Mulhearn’s Funeral Home. Pallbearers were J.E. McMullen, W.A. Corbin, W.J. Hunnicutt, M.L. Spanger, George Wood, Jack Davis, E.W. Smith and H.V. Brown, all members of the Monroe Police Department.
