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Hernando Today

Officer's Death Rattles Community

News Channel 8 photo by DAVID KRAUT

Capt. Scott Bierwiler was killed this morning in a head-on car collision on Powell Road.

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By KYLE MARTIN

Hernando Today

Published: February 20, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - Sheriff Richard Nugent gripped the podium Thursday morning, his red-rimmed eyes blinking rapidly.

After a deep breath, he peered into the news cameras arrayed before him and began with the facts about the "valuable member of our agency" who was killed seven hours earlier: Capt. Scott Bierwiler.

As the head of patrol for the county's three districts, Capt. Bierwiler's day technically started at 8 a.m. But being a "consummate professional," he often showed up for work much earlier, Nugent said.

That was his intention Thursday morning, as he traveled east on Powell Road in his department-issued black Crown Victoria. At 5:45 a.m., he had just crossed the bridge over the Suncoast Parkway when an oncoming sport utility vehicle crossed the center line and struck him head-on, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Capt. Bierwiler died instantly. He was 42.

The driver of the Mitsubishi Montero, 16-year-old Andrew Frank Morris, was critically injured and flown to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa. The hospital declined to release an update on his condition, citing health-privacy laws.

In the hours following the collision, the sheriff visited the home of Capt. Bierwiler's wife of 20 years, Angie. Capt. Bierwiler is also survived by two daughters, Kayla, 18, Kiley, 16, and a 9-year-old son, Scottie Jr.

Capt. Bierwiler spent last weekend with his son at the Daytona 500, the sheriff said.

Nugent cleared his throat and pressed on.

Capt. Bierwiler came from a lineage of law enforcement. His father, Sgt. Frank Bierwiler, served as a longtime public information officer for the sheriff's office. The emergency operations center Nugent spoke from Thursday is named in Sgt. Bierwiler's memory. The sheriff said the younger Capt. Bierwiler represented the future of his agency.

"This is not how you expect for this to happen," Nugent continued. "It's a loss for the community, for the agency and for his family."

His composure began to crumble.

"If there's any good news, it's that Scott is in his father's arms now," Nugent said, before walking swiftly from the room.

'They Were Tore Up'

Gerald Kline woke up thirsty. He climbed out of bed and headed to the kitchen for a glass of water. It was just before dawn.

Without warning a horrific bang erupted from outside his back window. Kline hurried outside to his backyard, which abuts Powell Road. Through the darkness he could make out two terribly mangled vehicles strewn across the road. A small fire burned beneath what looked like an SUV.

Kline rushed back inside and dialed 911. When he returned a nurse who had been traveling on Powell Road had stopped to lend assistance. Fearing other motorists would slam into the crash scene on the dark road, Kline grabbed a large flashlight and began signaling oncoming traffic to slow down.

Arriving deputies were overcome with emotion when they discovered one of their own was dead.

"They were tore up," Kline said. "I was tore up and I didn't even know the guy."

It was an emotional day for everyone.

Deputy Steve Klapka, president of the local Fraternal Order of Police chapter, remembers his longtime friend as a "gentleman's gentleman."

It was actually Capt. Bierwiler who influenced Klapka to move from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office in 1987 to a budding community called Spring Hill. After a few hours riding patrol with Capt. Bierwiler, who was just fresh out of training, Klapka was impressed with his positive attitude.

"I've been proud to know him from that day forward," a tearful Klapka said.

Capt. Bierwiler was well-liked as a supervisor because he never forgot his roots in patrol.

From his rise from sergeant, to lieutenant to captain, "he treated everyone the same," Klapka said.

'He's A Good Kid'

Still unknown Thursday was the other driver's destination. Morris is a junior at nearby Nature Coast Technical High School and competed both as a cross country runner and a wrestler.

The vehicle he was driving belonged to his parents, but detectives are still determining whether he had permission to drive it. The Florida Highway Patrol expects it will take 45 to 90 days to complete the investigation, which will include toxicology tests.

Morris lives on Mertal Street, west of Weeki Wachee Springs. No one answered the door on Thursday, but his neighbor, Linda Peterson, had nothing but praise for Morris.

"He's a good kid," she said.

Peterson said Morris did odd jobs for her and other neighbors.

It's A Sad Day In Brooksville

Lara Bradburn, vice-mayor of Brooksville, knew Capt. Bierwiler for years, beginning with her time as a reporter for Hernando Today.

News of Capt. Bierwiler's passing shook the city and its police department, Bradburn said.

"He was such a great character," Bradburn said. "I knew he was going to do great things."

She echoed Nugent's assertion that Capt. Bierwiler and the level of his character represented the future of the agency.

"He had everything you wanted in a sheriff," she said.

News Channel 8 Reporter Katie Coronado and Tribune Reporter Valerie Kalfrin contributed to this report. Reporter Kyle Martin can be reached at 352-544-5271 or kmartin@hernandotoday.com.

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