http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pb...13/1006/SPORTS

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.











the other bike that hit him was riden by seth enslow.

 

Very sad. Really feel sorry for his wife who you know is wrongly blaming herself for the whole thing.

 

That sucks so bad. All that work and love for this outcome. Prayers to the family. Jeez.

 

My heart goes out to the family....Makes one wonder why things like this happen to good guys[&o]

 

That is beyond sad. I cannot even imagine how his wife is doing with all of this. I wonder what is going to happen to the guy that caused the accident.

 

Very sad, but died doing what he loved

 

from what ive read charges are pending against the other rider....which was seth enslow a extreme MX rider...

 

i wondered if it was the same Seth Enslow. if it is he has not a brain cell left in his head and should not be allowed to operate any motorized vehicle on any road. I always thougt is was a matter of time before he killed himself, it is just too bad he killed someone else first.

 

prayer's to his family

 

My heart goes out to his family, friends and coworkers, especially his wife who, as someone said, will probably wrongly fault herself. It really ticks me off that the media most always puts in that the rider was not wearing a helmet. It did not say he died from head injuries. Hell, he could have bled to death from a punctured aorta and they would still have noted that he was not wearing a helmet. I seldom see in print or hear on TV, when a rider does die from head injuries, that he WAS wearing a helmet. Sorry for the rant but it does bug the hell out of me.