By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE wife and a former colleague of Police Sergeant Michael Lockhart Jr, a father of six killed in a car crash on Queen’s Highway in Eleuthera on Tuesday, remembered him yesterday as a devoted family man and respected officer.

In a statement to The Tribune, Pharcina Cash Lockhart honoured her husband as “a loyal son, husband and father”.

“Those who know him personally speak of a man who leads with humility, grounds his values in faith, and always puts his family first,” she said. “His strength of character at home mirrors the same values he upholds in uniform: respect, discipline, compassion and resilience.”

She also reflected on his time in the Flying Squad, where he was often on the frontlines of high-risk operations. She said his “firm but fair” approach earned him respect on the streets and admiration among peers.

That admiration was evident in the words of Rashad Smith, a friend and former colleague who spoke with Sgt Lockhart just hours before his death.

“I just spoke with him the morning off because they had an operation in Hatchet Bay… never realising that would’ve been my last hail to him,” Mr Smith said.

The two met during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, working together as COVID ambassadors, and forming a lasting bond.

“If you had a bad day and he comes around, you could sure know that your day is going to change. Your atmosphere is going to change,” he said. “It was a great opportunity to work with him and to work alongside with him.”