Modesto police set up account for Pershall family, warn donors of fraud

The Modesto Police Officers Association has reported that the only official donation page to raise funds for the family of Sgt. Michael Pershall is at its website.

“Please donate to help Pershall’s family through this difficult time,” reads a post on the association’s Facebook page, directing donors to https://secure.supportfrp.com/relief+modestopoa.

Pershall, who joined the Modesto Police Department in 2012 and was promoted to sergeant early this month, was killed in a traffic collision Tuesday on Merle Avenue, west of Fine Avenue.

Shortly after 6 p.m., emergency responders found Pershall, who’d been riding a bicycle west along the north edge of Merle, lying in a westbound lane. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Matthew David Gibbs, 32, was driving a Volkswagen coupe west on Merle and struck the rear of the sergeant’s bike, ejecting him, according to the California Highway Patrol, which investigated the crash.

Gibbs made his first appearance in Stanislaus Superior Court on Thursday afternoon. Prosecutors formally filed charges of murder and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence while intoxicated.

On Facebook, the Modesto Police Department posted, “Be Aware! Even during tragedy there are criminals out there who find ways to take advantage of the generosity of our community.” Noting the Modesto Police Officers Association page, it added, “Any other donation sites should be considered fraudulent.”

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department also shared the Police Officers Association’s post. When that department lost Deputy Jason Garner and Community Service Officer Raschel Johnson in a vehicle crash in May, Sheriff Adam Christianson warned that criminals wasted no time in setting up a bogus gofundme account to steal donated money.

The same type of fraud was perpetrated in November 2016 after Deputy Dennis Wallace was fatally shot at the Fox Grove fishing access near Hughson.

A search at gofundme.com on Friday morning turned up no accounts set up in Pershall’s name.

This story was originally published August 25, 2017 at 9:59 AM with the headline "Modesto police set up account for Pershall family, warn donors of fraud."