Motorcycle Police Officer Killed Escorting Obama's Motorcade In Florida

A motorcycle-mounted police officer escorting President Barack Obama's motorcade was killed in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday. The officer, identified as Bruce St. Largent by WPTV.com, was struck by a Ford F-150 while preparing to shut down Interstate 95 for Obama's appearance at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.

St. Largent, a 20-year veteran of the Jupiter Police Department, was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The accident happened around 4:40 p.m. EDT, according to the Palm Beach Post.

The F-150 driver has not yet been charged with any crimes.

Obama was in town to make a campaign appearance at the convention center. The president was notified of St. Laurent's death at the event venue.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney expressed the White House's condolences to the officer's family and co-workers, according to BuzzFeed.

There was a serious accident involving a Jupiter, Fla., police department motorcycle officer, who was part of the motorcycle escort for the motorcade, Carney told reporters after Air Force One departed from the Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach. The accident happened ahead of the motorcade itself, and no other vehicle in the motorcade was involved in the accident. As I said, the accident was serious. The ambulance that was part of the motorcade, or an ambulance that was part of the motorcade, was released immediately from the motorcade to assist on the scene and I know that the officer was transported to St. Mary's Medical Center.

BuzzFeed published an eyewitness account by an unnamed reporter who saw the accident: Motorcade passed an accident between the Port St Lucie OTR and West Palm Beach. Appeared to involve a motorcycle cop who appeared to have crashed into a police van that was blocking the exit so that motorcade could pass. From the window, pool briefly saw the prone figure of police officer, his destroyed motorcycle beside, under the body of the van.