Shelby County deputy killed on 5th day on job remembered for ‘heart to be a servant’

LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) - A fallen deputy was remembered in East Texas Thursday.

A procession honored Matthew Pierson, who worked for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy. 25-year-old Pierson was killed in a traffic crash Tuesday morning at the intersection of Highway 147 and 103 in San Augustine County.

Captain DJ Dickerson says Pierson had just started at the sheriff’s office.

“He joined our agency on August the 24th of this year; he had only been with us for five days prior to him being killed in the line of duty in the accident,” Dickerson said.

Dickerson says in those five days, he made an impact.

“He fit right on in with us. He picked and played. He walked into a room, and he would light it up. Great personality, super guy. He had a heart of a servant and it showed,” Dickerson said.

Pierson was transported from Tyler to Lufkin Thursday, and many agencies helped with transport and clearing the highways, including Hudson police, Angelina County Sheriff’s Office, Lufkin police, Jacksonville police and others.

Dickerson says their agency hasn’t lost a deputy in the line of duty since 1927.

“We’ve been to funerals for other law enforcement agencies, officers who have died in the line of duty in other areas, but for us to go through this, we have had a major outpouring of love from every agency around. It’s amazing,” Dickerson said.

Pierson was from Etoile and was also a part of the Etoile Volunteer Fire Department.

“That’s what he’s always wanted to do, serve and protect his fellow man,” Dickerson said.

But his ultimate goal had been to become a sheriff’s deputy.

“He wanted to be a deputy sheriff, and for those five days, we got to fulfill that for him,” Dickerson said.

Funeral arrangements for Pierson are still pending at this time.

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