Roll of Honor
Incident
Assistant Warden Peggy Sylvester was killed in an automobile accident on Louisiana 31, south of Louisiana 742, at approximately 4:45 am.
She was attempting to pass another vehicle during a period of rain when her department vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree. Assistant Warden Sylvester, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time, suffered fatal injuries.
Assistant Warden Sylvester was a U.S. Army veteran and had served as a jailer with the Opelousas Police Department for three years. She had previously served with the Eunice Police Department for one year and St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office for 10 years.
Survivors
She is survived by her son, two daughters, parents, and fiance.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-LA-9F5E4C37- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Assistant Warden Sylvester gave the Opelousas Police Department 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the Opelousas community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, sister.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Peggy L. Sylvester served in the Army (1981â1988) before joining law enforcement.
Assistant Warden Peggy L. Sylvester is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In LA, 180 of 595 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.3% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Opelousas Police Department, 1 of 3 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Peggy L. Sylvester's cause is highlighted.
How Peggy L. Sylvester Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Peggy L. Sylvester is highlighted in Apr.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Opelousas Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
