By LEONARD GRAY

LAPLACE – St. John the Baptist Parish paid tribute Friday to code enforcement officer Edmond “Skipper” Songy Jr., who died July 9 while assisting sheriff’s deputies and State Police troopers as the officers worked a series of horrific accidents on Interstate 10.

Funeral services were held in the chapel of Millet-Guidry Funeral Home in LaPlace.

Meanwhile, according to St. John Parish Sheriff Wayne L. Jones, State Police investigators subpoenaed cellular telephone records in an attempt to show the driver whose sport utility vehicle struck Songy was using his phone at the time of the incident.

The matter is going to the District Attorney and the St. John Parish Grand Jury in the next few weeks, and a charge of negligent homicide will be sought, Jones said.

Traffic was snarled until nearly 4 p.m. because of the accidents Tuesday, and westbound traffic was diverted onto Belle Terre Boulevard, from where vehicles could return to I-10 at Gramercy.

Songy, 60, of Greenwood Drive, LaPlace, was assisting to divert traffic from westbound I-10 onto Belle Terre Boulevard. He was wearing a reflective vest with his uniform, and stood with his marked police unit, with flashing lights, following correct procedure, Jones said.

However, a green 1997 Chevrolet Suburban lost control and struck Songy, killing him at 9:43 a.m., according to State Police spokesman Omar Landrum.

The driver of the Suburban, Stewart Juneau, 55, of New Orleans was arrested on the spot and taken to River Parishes Hospital, where he underwent blood-alcohol testing, routine procedure in the case of a vehicular homicide.

Juneau was charged with careless operation of a motor vehicle and failure to obey directions of a police officer, with further charges pending the outcome of the investigation and the decision of District Attorney John Crum’s office.

The chain of events leading to Songy’s death began with an accident on westbound I-10 at 9:09 a.m., a quarter-mile north of where Songy died.

A 1996 Kaln 18-wheeler for Jones Motor company, driven by William C. Moore, 52, of Kemp, Texas, was westbound in the right lane of I-10, just north of the Belle Terre Boulevard interchange, when he saw the traffic ahead slowing down and stopping. He tried to avoid hitting the stopped cars when his vehicle’s trailer began sliding and struck the rear of a 2001 Jeep Cherokee in the left lane.

The driver of the Cherokee, Traci Wertz, 28, of Abita Springs, was pulled from her damaged vehicle by other motorists, but the vehicle caught on fire and trapped the passenger, Mark W. Mackaness, 40, of Jacksonville, Fla. Mackaness died in the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene, and Wertz was airlifted from the scene by Air Med.

Landrum said a 1993 Ford Explorer, driven by William Blackwood, 68, of Kenner, was in the right lane and saw the Moore vehicle hit the Cherokee. He changed lanes to avoid being rear-ended as well, but was unsuccessful. He received minor injuries.

A 1994 Cadillac Fleetwood, driven by Tyrone Harris, 50, of New Orleans, was also in the right land when he was likewise struck by the 18-wheeler in the rear, pushing him into the right guardrail. He told officers he had minor injuries. A 1997 GMC Yukon, driven by Roary Simmons, 46, of Metairie, was in the right lane, switched to the left, but was also hit from behind by the 18-wheeler. He also claimed minor injuries.

Moore was taken into custody to undergo blood-alcohol testing, however, alcohol does not appear to be involved in the accident, according to Landrum.

Songy had been working with the parish for nearly two years at the time of his death, working jointly with both Planning and Zoning Director Adrienne Labat and Sheriff Wayne L. Jones, with an annual salary of $18,000.

He was a retired chemical processor at Dupont, where he worked for 30 years.

Parish President Nickie Monica recalled Songy as being “very committed to his duty,” and spoke of many instances of his understanding and temperament, which made him ideal for the job.

“He always gave people a chance,” Monica continued. “He was fair. but he was firm.”

One mark of that commitment, Monica said, was Songy’s development of a program to have junk vehicles taken away at no charge, through arrangement with local wrecker services. The effect of that was to clean up many neighborhoods of eyesores.

Chief Criminal Deputy Harold Klibert recalled of Songy, “he was always very compassionate and loved his job. He would always go beyond the scope of his duties.”

Songy had a long history of involvement with local law enforcement, having worked with former sheriffs Lester Millet and Lloyd B. Johnson as an auxiliary deputy.

“He was a commissioned officer and a member of our law enforcement family,” Klibert said, and added many deputies were “very upset” at the news and underwent critical stress debriefing.

Songy, at the request of his family, will be buried in his uniform. An honor guard from the sheriff’s office stood by during the services and a State Police motorcycle escort accompanied Songy to the cemetery. Representatives were also on hand from the Baton Rouge and Kenner municipal police departments, St. Tammany and St. Charles parishes and the Causeway Police.

On the morning of his death, according to Klibert, Songy heard of the earlier fatality accident and contacted Traffic Division Commander Rick Hylander to offer his assistance.

Hylander assigned Songy to directing traffic off of I-10, onto Belle Terre Boulevard. “What makes me feel bad is I’m the one who put him there,” Hylander later said.

Klibert said Songy’s action in volunteering his help was typical of the man.

“He would always back up his fellow officers,” Klibert said.

So Songy began directing traffic, “which he did appropriately, using accepted police standards,” Klibert said. What followed was Songy’s death when he was struck by a vehicle.

“The potential for tragedy is always there,” Klibert added. “It’s getting more difficult and dangerous every day.”