Fla. police officer in Obama motorcade killed in accident

A Florida police officer providing security for President Obama’s motorcade was killed Sunday after being struck by another vehicle.

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Teri Barbera said the motorcycle officer was on Interstate-95, closing the roadway to traffic, when he was hit by a pickup truck, the AP reported.

He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The officer was identified as Bruce St. Laurent, 55, a 20-year veteran of the Jupiter Police Department.

The president was in West Palm Beach, Fla. his second stop in the state Sunday for a rally at the West Palm Beach Convention Center.

White House press secretary Jay Carney said Obama had not witnessed the accident, but had been notified upon returning to Washington that the officer had passed away, according to reports.

Carney said the president’s “thoughts and prayers are with the officer’s family.”

The sheriff’s office said an investigation was ongoing and that no charges had been filed yet against the driver of the pickup truck.

—This story was updated at 6:33 a.m.

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