'A good dad': Army vet struck by Hancock County deputy moved to Indiana to be closer to son

Roughly 10 months ago Luwi Conrad Edmeade bought a home in Greenfield. The move from New Jersey would put him closer to his young son, giving them opportunities to build their relationship.

"He was a good dad," said Tabitha Barnett, the mother of Edmeade's 9-year-old son, Jaymz.

But for reasons still being investigated, those chances were cut short early Thursday morning. Edmeade, 41, was struck by a Hancock County deputy's vehicle and did not survive.

Cumberland police and Hancock County deputies were responding at about 3:55 a.m. for a welfare check on a person lying in the roadway near U.S. 40 and County Road 600 West — between Cumberland and Greenfield.

As officers searched the highway in dense fog, a deputy struck Edmeade, who was in the travel lanes about a half mile east of County Road 600 West. He was pronounced dead at the scene. It's unknown if Edmeade was dead when the deputy's vehicle hit him. The New Palestine Police Department is leading the investigation and an autopsy is pending. The deputy involved has submitted to a blood draw and is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, which is standard procedure.

Earlier that night, firefighters responded to a fire at Edmeade's home on Winding Creek Lane in Greenfield — roughly 6 miles from where he was struck. Firefighters arriving shortly after midnight found the home about half engulfed in flames. No one was in the house and the fire's cause remains under investigation, officials said.

Edmeade purchased the home in March and took advantage of being close to Jaymz; attending school functions and gathering on the holidays.

And Jaymz enjoyed having his dad nearby. They played soccer in the backyard and often built RC cars, Lego kits and created crafts using toilet paper rolls and other household items.

“He was always fun and messing around,” Jaymz said of his dad, who he described as a jokester.

Luwi Edmeade was a decorated Army veteran

Edmeade was a Patriot Fire missile systems operator and recruiter in the Army from July 2002 to February 2016. He deployed to the United Arab Emirates from June 2010 to May 2011.

During his time in the Army he advanced to sergeant first class and earned several honors, including the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, U.S. Army spokeswoman Heather J. Hagan confirmed.

"He put his soldiers first, so he would dedicate extra time to teaching them," said Barnett, who met Edmeade while they were stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

But the service — like so many soldiers who deployed to combat zones overseas — also left Edmeade with scars.

“He would sometimes go distant” and seclude himself from family but rarely talked about his time overseas, Barnett said. The two parted ways the year before Edmeade left the Army.

It's unknown how deep those scars ran and whether they had anything to do with what played out Thursday, but Barnett hopes Edmeade's situation raises awareness for anyone struggling.

"We all go through these mental health moments," she said. "(We should all) try to look for signs and intervene before it’s too late."

WHERE TO GET HELP: Mental health resources for veterans can be found online at mentalhealth.va.gov or by calling the veterans crisis line at 988.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Hancock County crash: Man struck by deputy recently moved to Greenfield