The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s office is mourning the death of Sergeant Grant Candies. The 37-year-old Candies was killed early Sunday morning while deploying a spike strip on Interstate 10 as authorities were trying to stop a 17-year-old driver who refused to stop after another deputy tried to initiate a traffic stop.
The pursuit eventually ended when the vehicle crashed into a New Orleans Police Department’s vehicle on the Southshore. The 17-year-old faces numerous charges including first-degree murder.
Sergeant Candies leaves behind a wife and two children. He was the 2023 St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s deputy of the year.
“Sgt Candies was an asset to the department,” Sheriff Randy Smith said. “He was the kind of deputy every agency hopes to have and someone his teammates routinely reached out to for advice and direction due to his vast knowledge of this job. His path to law enforcement was one of fate and devotion to his family, to his community and to a calling greater than himself. He will be missed by all who knew him and all who worked alongside him.”
The driver of the vehicle has been identified as Adrian Waughtal of Slidell. There were four other individuals in his vehicle. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
“I ask our community to please pray for Sgt. Candies’ family as well as his blue family – his coworkers and other members of law enforcement,” Sheriff Smith said. “Sgt. Candies death reiterates the dangers our deputies face every day when they put on their badge. While we grieve, we also honor and we remember a man who lived with purpose, who led with strength and who left behind a legacy that won’t be forgotten. His laughter, his wisdom and his drive will carry on in the deputies he mentored, in the family he adored and in the community he gave his life to protect. Thank you Sgt. Candies. We got it from here.”
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