Paralyzed La. Sheriff's Deputy Dies 16 Years after Freak Accident

Sept. 25, 2023

St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Deputy Marylin Mayo was paralyzed when a falling tree struck her cruiser during a 2007 funeral procession, an accident that also killed her fiancé, a fellow deputy.

Source Officer.com News

Joe Vince

St. Tammany Parish, LA, Sheriff's Deputy Marylin Mayo.

A Louisiana deputy paralyzed in an accident that killed her fiancé died Thursday, 16 years after the incident.

St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Deputy Marylin Mayo was seriously injured when a tree fell and struck her cruiser while she was participating in a funeral procession for a deputy in June 2007, the department stated in an online post. The agency attributed her death to the injuries she suffered in the accident, which left her paralyzed.

“I am saddened to hear of Mary’s passing,” Sheriff Randy Smith stated in a news release. “She served the people of St. Tammany Parish with pride, and she will be missed. My condolences go out to her family.”

The accident also was to blame for the death of Mayo's fiancé, another deputy with the agency. Sgt. Linden "Beau" Ralmer had been driving the cruiser struck by the falling tree.

Mayo, 42, received a medical disability retirement after the crash, WBRZ-TV reports. May had been with the agency since October 2005, starting as a dispatcher.

About the Author

Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.