Officers commended for finding Leechburg man's wedding ring after fatal crash

When Scottie Joe Hawkins’ wedding ring flew off his hand during the motorcycle crash that killed him in June, his wife feared she’d never see it again.

But, thanks to a pair of Allegheny Township police officers, Kourtney Hawkins has the symbol of her wedding commitment again.

Scottie Joe Hawkins, 32, of Leechburg died June 22 when he was thrown from his motorcycle on Markle Road. His death was ruled an accident. He was the co-owner of Hawkins Trucking LLC. His family and friends hoisted his casket onto the flatbed of his tractor-trailer for his funeral procession.

Like many in the Hawkins family, he enjoyed motorcycles and sprint car racing.

A few days after the fatal crash, after hearing the ring was missing, Allegheny Township Officers Richard Pechin and Steve Hoculock returned to the scene to search. They found the ring by taking a page from Kourtney Hawkins’ experience with it.

They used a metal detector to find the band — the same way Kourtney Hawkins did the first time her husband lost it.

“The day we got married, he lost his wedding ring and it was a $100 finder’s fee,” recalled Kourtney Hawkins. “So I woke up the next morning, got myself a metal detector and found the wedding ring and made my husband pay me $100.”

“These two officers went above and beyond by locating a metal detector and searching the area where Mr. Hawkins took his last breath,” said Allegheny Township police Chief Dan Uncapher while awarding the officers commendation plaques at this week’s Allegheny Township supervisors meeting.

In her brief comments, Kourtney Hawkins said the officers’ actions helped her find some comfort in the tragedy.

“They didn’t have to do that, and I’m just very grateful,” she said.