Nicholas Pepper
Detective Sergeant, Lafourche Parish (LA) Sheriff’s Office
Detective Sergeant Nick Pepper was killed when his vehicle was intentionally rammed by a suspect during a vehicle pursuit on Louisiana Highway 1, near Kleinpeter Road, in Thibodaux at about 4:00 am on 4/2/23.
Deputies were assisting the Houma Police Department after officers attempted to stop the vehicle for a traffic violation. Officers and deputies pursued the vehicle until it stopped near Lafourche Crossing. As officers issued commands to the subject, the man suddenly accelerated and intentionally drove into Sergeant Pepper’s unit. Sergeant Pepper was transported to Thibodaux Regional Health System where he succumbed to his injuries.
The subject was arrested and charged.
Sergeant Pepper had served with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office for 15-1/2 years and had served in law enforcement for 24 years. He had previously served with the Houma Police Department and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and son.
This is so hard, the hardest I have ever had to deal with. My world, heart, and soul is shattered.
I am broken, emotionally, mentally and physically. Nick never went more than a couple of hours without calling or texting me, just because. “I just wanted to hear your voice” “What you’re doing for lunch?” “How’s your day?” “I miss you” “I love you”, so many words spoken that I will never hear from him again. We actually spoke less than an hour from his last breath. He was always worried about us. I have watched our final goodbye/kiss/love you/be careful over and over on the doorbell cam. One sided conversations are all I now have to resort to and they are hard, but I just can’t go on with my day, without trying. so many tears, and screams, and nothing changes. I spent half of my life with him by my side, being my protector, provider, soul mate, best friend, the list goes on.
He was an amazing father, Nick loved kids. He made sure that the kids and I never needed or wanted for anything. We were always his priority and working a ton of overtime was his way of showing us that he would make sure we were safe.
For the last 23 years, through the ups and downs, no matter what, my place has always been with Nick.
He was the one who I called and who called me
He was the one who I texted and who texted me
He was the one who sent me unlimited amounts of stupid TikToks and memes
He was the one who sent me cool pictures, skies, birds, lights, trees, etc
He was the one who made me feel safe and protected the minute he walked into the room
He was the one who looked at me like I was his world and he was mine
He was the one I laughed with
He was the one I cried with
He was the one I took care of
He was the one who took care of me
He was the one that I thought of first at every major occurrence
He was the one who made me more frustrated and angry than anyone else
He was the one who made me laugh more and made me happier than anyone else could
He was the one who completed me
He was the one I pictured rocking our olden days away with
He was my EVERYTHING!
Nothing seems right in the world anymore. He should be sleeping on the sofa now, snoring loud enough for the neighbors to hear, but I’m sitting here drinking my coffee and missing him terribly. I just want to hold his hot sweaty hand and know that everything will be ok
The grief brings me to my knees and I pray, I wake up with my heart racing, shaking, realizing he really is gone and all I want to do is go back to sleep. There’s just no words to describe it. Please keep our kids in your prayers.
