Victim of motorcycle crash was active airman from Louisiana
19-year-old Eugene J. Sonnier III,
Posted in The Atlantic City Press: Monday, October 28, 2013 10:40 pm
An airman from McGuire Air Force Base was identified Monday as the person killed in a motorcycle crash Sunday afternoon on the White Horse Pike in Mullica Township. Police said 19-year-old Eugene J. Sonnier III, of Lafayette, La., was pronounced dead at the scene after his 2008 Honda CBR motorcycle collided with a Toyota Tacoma.
The accident occurred at Route 30 and Snow Hill Road at 2:43 p.m. when the eastbound motorcycle collided with the....Continue Reading
Tacoma as it was pulling out of Snow Hill to head west the pike, Capt. Brian Zeck said.
The victim was a member of the Air Force and was living at McGuire, according to his mother, Norlet Pierre.
Sonnier’s father, Eugene J. Sonnier II, said in a phone interview Monday that his son loved riding his motorcycle and came from a family of riders.
“Of course it's every parent's nightmare for their child to ride a motorcycle," he said. But both he and Sonnier's grandfather also rode motorcycles and enjoyed seeing different things in the world.
Both parents said their son was an adventurous, kind-hearted individual.
“He loved to explore,” Pierre said. She recalls him telling her about trips to Atlantic City, New York City and Pittsburgh.
"We would talk every weekend. He would always tell me where he was riding out to. We are all riders, we like to see things," Sonnier said. "He told me he was going to the Delaware Water Gap on Saturday."
Pierre said she was planning on visiting her son for the first time in New Jersey at Easter.
“We always ended each conversation with ‘I love you.’ He would always say he was a proud momma’s boy,” Pierre said. Her son wanted to leave his home to have an adventure, but he was always proud of his roots.
Sonnier described his son as patriotic and very proud of his Creole heritage.
Pierre said her son was a 2012 graduate of Lafayette Christian Academy, a star athlete, homecoming king of his school, and enlisted in the military just after graduating.
“He wanted to come back home and raise his family and send his kids to the same school he went to,” Pierre said. “His family loved him very much. I couldn’t ask for a more perfect son.”
Sonnier said, "He was the son that everyone prays for. He never gave anyone trouble and was never one to be concerned about.”
The driver of the Tacoma, Donna Simpkins, 48, of Mullica, was transported along with her 14-year-old son to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus. Simpkins was listed in very critical condition and her son was released Monday, police said.
The Mullica Township Police Crash Investigations Unit is investigating the accident. Anyone with information is asked to call Sgt. Ryan Hutton or Detective Chris Silva at 609-561-7600, ext. 125 or 121.
Contact Anjalee Khemlani: 609-272-7247 akhemlani@pressofac.com
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