Family, friends, fellow officers gather to remember Patton Village sergeant

KINGWOOD – Family, friends and fellow officers paid tribute to a fallen hero at the Kingwood Funeral Home Thursday night.

“One of the best sergeants you'd ever want to meet. Helpful, kind, not the typical sergeant,” Patton Village Police Chief Leon Verot said.

Investigators said Sgt. Stacey Baumgartner was chasing Garrett Nee Sunday night. They said Nee ran a red light and an SUV crashed into Baumgartner's patrol car at FM 1485 and State Highway 242.

The 39-year-old officer and 11-year-old Adan Hilario, who was riding in the SUV, died.

“It hurts because he didn't have a reason to die. There was no reason for him to go,” said Adan's neighbor Heraclio Mendez.

As two families start the healing process, the small Patton Village Police force does the same.

“The police department is dealing with this very hard,” Verot said.

It's even harder knowing Baumgartner was a family man who left behind a wife, 20-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter.

“Every morning (on) Facebook his children and his family and they ask him, 'Why?' He said, 'Well, I may not come home today,' and of course they didn't understand that and of course, Sunday, he didn't come home,” Verot said.

Funeral services for Baumgartner are scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday at The Woodlands Church.