Dallas

Dallas Police Officer Killed by Suspected Drunken Driver

The officer was blocking the scene of an earlier accident when he was struck by a 32-year-old man "driving at a high rate of speed," police said

NBCUniversal, Inc.

A Dallas police officer was hit and killed by a suspected intoxicated driver early Saturday morning while directing traffic around an accident on the highway.

At around 1:45 a.m., the Dallas officer was blocking traffic with the emergency lights from his squad car on after an accident in the northbound lanes of North Central Expressway at Walnut Hill Lane.

A man driving a Kia Forte at a high speed hit the officer as he was standing outside of his patrol car to direct traffic from a previous incident.

The officer was taken to a local hospital, where he later died. His identity has not been released.

"Our department is once again mourning, but we are heartened by the strength of his family," Dallas police Chief Eddie Garcia said in a Tweet. "Godspeed my brother."

Police said the driver of the vehicle who hit the officer was found to be intoxicated. Charges are pending.

Neither the driver nor his passenger were injured, police said.

Police said slick and icy roads were not a factor in the crash.

The highway is closed as police continue to investigate the incident.

Contact Us