Funeral services are underway for the Houston Police Department sergeant who drowned in his patrol car during Hurricane Harvey.
Sgt. Steve Perez will be laid to rest after a service that began at 9:30 a.m. at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in downtown Houston.
Following the funeral mass, HPD honors will be rendered outside the front of the church. HPD will then escort the funeral procession to the Houston National Cemetery for a private burial service.
Members of the public should be aware of some downtown street closures Wednesday morning. Beginning about 7:30 a.m., some streets immediately surrounding the Co-Cathedral will be closed. These include:
St. Joseph’s Parkway between Caroline and Main
Fannin between Pierce and Jefferson
San Jacinto between Pierce and Jefferson
Additionally, streets a few blocks outside the immediate church perimeter will remain open, but there will be lane closures. Motorists should plan accordingly.
Finally, members of the public who wish to observe the motorcade as it processes toward Houston National Cemetery may do so by observing the following route:
From downtown Houston to the North Freeway (North Interstate Highway 45)
North Freeway to North Sam Houston Parkway East
North Sam Houston Parkway West service road to Veteran’s Memorial
The procession is estimated to take place between 11:30 a.m. and noon.
Perez left his home in heavy rain at 4:30 a.m. Aug. 27 to report to an investigation, even though his wife urged him to stay home because of the dangerous driving conditions.
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo was emotional during a press conference on Aug. 29 as he talked about Perez’s death. He said Perez drove for about two and a half hours trying to find a safe way to his station. He called his command to report he could not get to his duty station.
“Every day we ask men and women to show up in good and bad conditions. Today I simply say our heart is saddened,” Acevedo said.
Perez served on the force for 34 years and was currently assigned to the traffic enforcement division.
