Bike ride to honor fallen first responders begins Oct. 9

The Gulf Coast Brotherhood Foundation announced the 2023 Gulf Coast Brotherhood Ride to honor 12 fallen first responders.

The ride begins on Oct. 9 in Holden and will end on Oct. 13 in Orange Beach, Alabama. The Gulf Coast team will ride 415 miles in five days through four states. The team comprises active and retired first responders from 21 agencies across five states.

Four local first responders who will be honored during the ride: Firefighter Scott Osenenko with Livingston Fire Protection District 4, Officer James Ellis Foster Jr. with Denham Springs Police Department, Sgt. Nicholas Tullier with the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office and Master Trooper Adam Gaubert with Louisiana State Police.

Scott Osenenko

Osenenko suffered a fatal heart attack on December 3‚ 2011‚ while helping to rescue a family of five from a residential structure fire. He was the first volunteer firefighter to die in the line of duty in the department’s 35-year history.

James Ellis Foster Jr.

Foster died from injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash while he responded to an accident that was located on I-12 in December 2014.

Foster, along with two marked patrol cars, was responding with his lights and sirens activated on O’Neal Lane, when a vehicle made a left turn in front of him at East Riverdale Avenue. Foster’s motorcycle hit the car and he was thrown approximately 80 feet. He was transported to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center where he died from his injuries the following day.

The driver of the vehicle who turned in front of him, was cited for failure to yield.

Foster served as a full-time officer with the Denham Springs Police Department for five years and had previously served with the department as a reserve officer for one year. He was a U.S. Army veteran.

Nicholas Tullier

Tullier succumbed to injuries sustained six years earlier when he was ambushed outside a convenience store at 9611 Airline Highway shortly before 9 a.m.

Officers had received reports of someone walking along the roadway carrying a rifle. As responding officers arrived in the area, they were ambushed by the subject.

Tullier was shot three times and critically wounded. Deputy Sheriff Brad Garafola of the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, Corporal Montrell Jackson, and Police Officer Matthew Gerald, both of the Baton Rouge Police Department, were all shot and killed. Three other officers were wounded.

The ride will be doing an honor stop for Tullier at Louisiana State Police Memorial in front of LSP Headquarters, 7919 Independence Blvd. in Baton Rouge on Monday, Oct. 9 at 11:20 a.m. Gaubert will also be honored.

The ride will stop at Livingston Parish Fire District 4 and Denham Springs PD before going to LSP.