In the early morning hours of August 17, 2005, Essex County Deputy Eric Loiselle was issuing a traffic ticket to a speeding driver on the Adirondack Northway. For reasons yet unknown, a tractor-trailer left the roadway and struck his patrol car. The patrol car struck Deputy Loiselle, killing him instantly.
Eric Loiselle was born on August 10, 1974. Shortly after graduation from high school, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. He was a veteran of the Gulf War, serving in Saudi Arabia and Turkey. He also served in Germany.
After completing his enlistment, he enrolled in a criminal justice program and pursued a career with the Essex County Sheriff’s Department. He married his wife, Natalie, on September 29, 2001, and celebrated the birth of his son, Derrick Wyatt, on June 5, 2002. Eric graduated from the police academy on September 11, 2002. He took his job very seriously, but remained compassionate to all. He could not tolerate injustice at any level.
He was a devoted father and chose to work the night shift so that he could care for his son while his wife was at work teaching school. He loved to sit on the porch and listen to country music with his wife and son. He liked camping and had a passion for snowmobiling in the winter.
As a police officer, his service was exemplary. He was often thanked by people he had issued a ticket. Supervisors frequently received feedback on his professional demeanor.
After his death it was disclosed that he had scored #1 on the Sergeant’s test. In a fitting tribute, a ceremony was held at which time Sheriff Henry Hommes posthumously promoted Eric Loiselle to Sergeant.
This tragedy occurred just 12 days after Sergeant Loiselle’s 31st birthday. His four year career with the Essex County Sheriff’s Department was far too short. But his memory will remain. According to Major Cutting, “... we all know Eric will be riding shotgun in each of our cars and walking the tiers of the jail watching over each and every one of us, just as he watched over his ‘family’ both at home and at work for the brief time we knew him.”