Officer Brian Lorenzo: Philly Highway Patrol policeman killed by alleged drunk driver
A 23-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department who was just last year awarded a state proclamation for outstanding service was killed early this morning by an alleged drunk driver.
Police said Highway Patrol Officer Brian Lorenzo, 48, was in full uniform when he was traveling home from work on I-95. A black Audi driving southbound in the highway’s northbound lanes allegedly struck his department-issued motorcycle around 3:15 a.m. near the Cottman Avenue exit in Northeast Philadelphia.
Lorenzo died on the scene.
The driver of the Audi, a 48-year-old Levittown man, is in police custody at an area hospital. Charges have not yet been officially filed.
“‘Reckless’ is an understatement when you’re talking about traveling in the wrong direction and all indications are that he was under the influence,” Deputy Commissioner Richard Ross said at an early morning press conference. “This is a very tragic day for us. [Lorenzo] was well-known to many in the police department and at this point and time, we’re just trying to be here for his family and still trying to piece together a lot of the details.”
Lorenzo, who was honored for his courage and commitment to the community at state Sen. Shirley Kitchen’s 14th annual appreciation banquet last summer, was also a police motorcycle instructor who taught officers from local jurisdictions maneuvering tactics and safety protocol.
He was a member of the Highway Patrol Unit’s Motorcycle Drill Team, which performs each year at the Hero Thrill Show to raise college tuition money for children of police and firefighters killed in the line of duty. The event has generated over $2 million to help more than 800 family members since 2001.
Lorenzo is survived by a wife and three children. His brother is reportedly a Philadelphia police officer serving the 25th District, which consists of Hunting Park, Fairhill, Feltonville and Juniata Park in the North Philadelphia area.
