Sergeant Tyler Mathews

Friday the 11th of August will be the day that I remember that a good friend of mine passed away.

Tyler was doing what he loved to do , riding his motorcycle.

Tyler was at the Sturgis Bike Rally in South Dakota.

Another motorcycle pulled out in front of him and he died on scene.

Tyler was a good friend, great cop and he meant the world to his wife, kids and family.

My prayers go out to his family. GOD SPEED

:cry:

I heard the News from my sister....I'm saddened...


Tyler was a Great Guy.....he came is dispatch frequently, when i was employed with the dept, and was always a positive, great, generous, man...

This hurts, and he will be missed, and in my prayers, along with his family....
Bpd is in my prayers.... stay strong


P. Smolinsky

I did not know Sgt. Mathews very well, but I am fresh out of FTO. When I was training with the Traffic unit, Sgt. Mathews took the time to teach me the right way to conduct myself as an officer. My prayers go out to his family....God Speed Tyler.

My heart goes out to his family !!!!!!! I barely knre him but he seemed like a great guy with a big heart !!!!! I think we need to have a Sgt. Mathews benefit for him and his family ....

I was one of Tyler's instructors in the basic academy and also love riding my motorcycle. He was a good man and this is a loss to the community. A benefit to help out his family is a great idea and count me in to help anyway I can. Rest in peace young brother and may God's strength be with your family during this difficult time.

J. Kintz
Retired LEO

I read this at the SSO board. My condolences.

Rarely do you meet a person in life that is "genuine." Tyler exceeded that by being a loving husband, great father and a devoted christian. I will miss his voice echoing off of the outfield walls at spring training, his laugh that made you smile and his willingness to help others. During conversation, I can remember him telling me how proud he is of his children and his wife. Tyler was a big reason why. Tyler you will be missed by many but forgotten by none. Your family will be in my prayers.

If you guys plan on a benefit in Tyler's name please let us know. I am sure the unit would like to be involved to help out Tyler's family. He was a good friend to all of us and we always enjoyed him at the check points and details. We are all saddend by this.

This is just awful. For the Department, the Community and mostly the Family. My prayers go out to Sgt. Mathews family and I will do what I can to help them.

I really dont want to sound cold and uncaring but, how many more of our loved ones have to be injured or worse before we all sell these Family wrecking and community saddening motorcycles. They are fun to ride, I agree, but the end result far outwieghs the limited fun of the ride.

We will all remember Sgt. Mathews, T. Castellow, Wayne Martin's son (and the effect it had on him), and I personally knew three other friends who were seriously injured or killed in the past two years. :cry:

I met Tyler a few years ago at a check point and became friends with this wonderful man. He was kind, generous and always willing to do whatever he could to help me, no matter what I needed. I'll miss him very much!

I was deeply saddened when I got the call last night that Tyler had passed away. My heart and prayers go out to his family and children for their loss. And my prayers are also with his wife that she recovers from her injuries. If BPD has a benefit or does something for his family, please post it here. I would like to be involved and do whatever I could to help. Tyler was a great man!

We now have one more angel up there watching over us and keeping us safe........you'll be very missed Tyler! ! !

Christina

What a sad and tragic time for the Mathew's family and BPD. Tyler was known as a good cop, but even more important, a GREAT person. I am glad to have had the opportunity to know him away from the agency. I will miss talking to him around the baseball field where our kids played. He will be missed and remembered. Now we must pull together and take care of one of our own and make sure his family is taken care of.

Whoever has any information on anything that needs to be done or can be done please let it be known.

This is such a sad day. I knew Tyler for only a short few years from meetings and checkpoints we attended. We talked so may times about our motorcycle units and how he loved to ride. My prayers are with him and his family and if I can be of any assistance to BPD or his family please contact me at jherlihy@scgov.net

GOD BLESS
John

God Bless you Tyler, you and your family are in our prayers

We firefighters offer our sincere condolences to our brothers at PD.

Tyler always helped at our events, best remembered for singing the National Anthem at September 11th.
http://www.chfr.org/Photos/Mathews.jpg
On a personal note, Tyler stopped my wife a about a month ago and let her go with a warning after he asked her if she knew me. I never got the opportunity to say thank you.

God bless Tyler Mathews

THANKS FOR BEING MY FRIEND,,,ILL MISS YOU MY BROTHER

[MOD 1]

My thoughts and prayers are with Sgt Matthews family. Sgt Matthews will be remembered.

Tragedy strikes Bradenton police
REBECCA BLUE
Herald Staff Writer
BRADENTON - Bradenton Police Sgt. Tyler Mathews loved motorcycles, and it was always a dream to attend the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota.

This year, his wife, Lisa, surprised him with a trip to the world famous event for his 40th birthday, which was Thursday. Their four children stayed back in Florida.

Friday afternoon, Tyler Mathews was killed when the 2006 Harley Davidson he was driving collided with another motorcycle near Rapid City, S.D.

Although it may take a while for his fellow police officers to realize they will never again see his smiling face in person, he will always be in their hearts and prayers, said police Chief Michael Radzilowski

"When we think of him in the future, it will not only be as a policeman, but as the good, whole, well-rounded person he was," Radzilowski said.

Mathews was traveling eastbound on U.S. 16A near Custer State Park about 3:35 p.m. when another motorcyclist traveling westbound, turned left into Mathews' path. The two collided and Tyler Mathews, who was not wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead on the scene, according to a South Dakota Highway Patrol news release.

Lisa Mathews, who was a passenger on the motorcycle at the time of the accident, suffered minor injuries and was being treated at a South Dakota hospital. The other motorcyclist, who suffered a broken leg, may be charged with careless driving, according to the news release.

Sgt. Mathews, whose four children ranged from elementary to high-school age, participated regularly in each of their activities, according to fellow officer and friend, Maj. William Tokajer.

"His kids are very active and he was active for his kids. They were his life," Tokajer said.

Tokajer and Mathews shared deacon responsibilities at the Church of the Rock in Palmetto, where Mathews' brother, Tad, is a pastor. Tyler and Lisa Mathews also ministered youth at the church.

Mathews' children are staying with their uncle at his Palmetto home

"Our family, while devastated from our loss, has a deep and abiding faith in Jesus," Tad Mathews said. "Though our grief is seemingly unbearable, we are merely separated from Tyler for a season. He has now arrived at the place where we will one day be through our faith in Christ."

Tyler Mathews began his tenure at the Bradenton Police Department as a dispatcher in the communications department more than 10 years ago, according to Maj. J.J. Lewis.

"As a dispatcher he fell in love with law enforcement, went to the police academy and was hired by the department," Lewis said. "He excelled in his duties. He had a knack for traffic enforcement."

Mathews was promoted to sergeant, supervising the traffic unit. He took part in numerous vehicle checkpoints and was a member of the community traffic safety team and was an experienced traffic homicide investigator, Lewis said.

His love for motorcycling didn't come to a halt when he was on duty.

"He was assigned to a police department motorcycle and was an experienced rider," Lewis said.

Another one of his favorite hobbies - singing.

"He loved opera and he loved to sing," Lewis said. "He was always singing."

Mathews will be remembered as "a man with a heart of gold, who was serious about law enforcement," Lewis said.

The department is waiting to hear from his family as far as how to proceed.

"We're going to help them and do whatever we need to do to help them get through this," Radzilowski said. Rebecca Blue, criminal justice reporter, can be reached at rblue@HeraldToday.com or at 708-7919.

One biker dead, five injured in Friday accidents
Five motorcycle accidents Friday killed one biker and injured five others, one seriously, at locations throughout the Black Hills.

Tyler Matthews, 40, of Bradenton, Fla., died after he collided with another motorcycle about 3:25 p.m. on U.S. Highway 16A near the State Game Lodge in Custer State Park. Sgt. David Berkley of the South Dakota Highway Patrol in Pierre said Matthews was heading east when a westbound motorcycle turned in front of him.

“Mr. Matthews struck that motorcycle and died at the scene,” Berkley said Saturday.

Matthews’ wife, Lisa, was taken by ambulance to Rapid City Regional Hospital. On Saturday, she was listed in fair condition.

:cry:

http://www.kevn.com/news2.htm

I remember when Tyler was a dispatcher and whether I was flying the pine or he was riding with me, it always made the shift go by faster and he made me laugh. I never heard Tyler say a negative word about anyone, which is rare in this world. I will miss my friend Tyler Matthews and so will the City of Bradenton. Rest in peace my friend and thanks for being there.

Tyler was always a great friend and will be missed very much. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

We will truly miss the sweetest person that we ever knew. He was my partner for a couple of years in dispatch and we got to be very close friends. Tyler loves his family very much and was very, very proud of them. My heart and prayers go out to Lisa and the kids and to all of my brothers and sisters of Law Enforcement. This is a reminder to stay safe at all times (on and off-duty). The one thing that I remember the most about working with Tyler is that he was always a funny person. He was always in a good mood. When I came to work tired (we worked the midnight shift) Tyler would punch me in the arm to make sure I was still alive and alert. It didn't hurt, but I was always awake!!!. I love you Tyler and will miss you dearly.

Your friends,
Grace Cece-Colonna
Anthony Colonna

I work in Palm Beach County and want to wish my deepest sympathy to the Matthews family.
I lost a great friend who was a deputy, 4 years ago, he was also a Deputy and died on a motorcycle...its tough, but the support of friends and family helps. God Bless

Funeral services scheduled for deceased officer
CARL MARIO NUDI
Herald Staff Writer
BRADENTON - A large community outpouring is expected for the funeral services of Bradenton Police Department Sgt. Tyler Mathews.

Mathews, who was killed in a motorcycle accident Friday in South Dakota, was well respected in Manatee County.

Services for the 10-year police department veteran were tentatively set for 11 a.m. Friday at the Church of the Rock, 1401 14th Ave. W., Palmetto, according to Maj. Bill Tokajar, of the police department.

According to a South Dakota Highway Patrol report, Mathews was riding his 2006 Harley-Davidson on U.S. Route 16A near Rapid City, S.D., when a driver of another motorcycle made a left turn into Mathews' path.

Charges against the other motorcyclist, Seth Enslow, of Costa Mesa, Calif., are pending the completion of the accident investigation, according to SDHP Trooper Matthew Wosje.

The report should be finished by the middle of next week, Wosje said.

Mathews was attending the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota with his wife, Lisa, who was riding on the back of the motorcycle when the accident occurred.

Lisa Mathews suffered minor injuries and was taken to a South Dakota hospital.

Enslow also was taken to the hospital with a broken leg and ankle.

Tyler Mathews is survived by his wife and four children ranging in age from elementary to high school age.

Does anyone know of any trustfund that might be setup for his children?

Yes. There is a Trustfund set up in honor of Sgt. Mathews. You can go to any Wachovia Bank and deposit money.

Since I have not yet seen anything I would like to say good job to the entire department. Sgt. Mathews funeral was an example of how we should memorialize a police officer. I have been to many LEO funerals and this one was top notch. From the officers in formation to the Honor guard outstanding.

He deserved every bit of it. The more thanks should go to MSO for working the city so that we could all attend.