A member of the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office is being mourned following his death following a single vehicle accident Thursday afternoon.

Around 12:20 PM, the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office was notified of a single vehicle crash in the 4400 block of West Admiral Doyle Dr. Upon arrival, deputies discovered a vehicle drove off the roadway and into a pond and was completely submerged. Rescue attempts were immediately initiated by Patrol Division deputies but were unsuccessful.

The body of Felton J. Olivier, 78, a deputy with the Iberia Parish Sheriffs Office, Civil Division was recovered from the submerged vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene by the Iberia Parish Coroners Office. There were no other occupants in the vehicle.

The official cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy.

The New Iberia City Marshal Dickie Fremin, the Iberia Parish Fire District No. 1, Acadian Ambulance personnel, the New Iberia Police Department as well as divers with the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office Dive Team responded.

“My deepest condolences go out to the family of Deputy Felton Olivier. On behalf of all the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office, we offer our heartfelt sympathies to his son and daughter, his extended family, friends, as well as his colleagues in the IPSO Civil Division,” said Iberia Parish Sheriff Tommy Romero. “Deputy Olivier was a well-respected member of the IPSO Civil Division for the past eight years, his quiet demeanor, kind smile and words will be missed by all.”