HOUSTON – Two officers inside an HPD patrol unit were involved in a major car crash caused by a suspected drunk driver on the Southwest Freeway headed outbound Sunday morning, Houston police said.
According to HPD Sgt. D. Rodriguez, officers responded to a stalled vehicle call at around 5 a.m. near Gessner Road.
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NEW: Both Officer and suspected drunk driver taken to Memorial Hermann at the medical center. In this picture you can see HFD with what looks like an extinguisher. @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/dx6TqMtTrC
— Rilwan Balogun (@KPRC2Rilwan) May 1, 2022
A Ram 1500 truck that has ran out of gas was parked on the right shoulder. Tow-and-Go wreckers arrived on the scene to assist the truck, blocking the right lane.
An HPD patrol car with two officers inside parked behind the wrecker as the driver rose the truck up onto the bed. That was when Sgt. Rodriguez said a red Ford Focus slammed the back left side of the HPD patrol car, which pushed the Ram 1500 towards the top of the wrecker bed. The truck was not on the bed prior to the crash, according to police.
Both the driver of the Ram 1500 and the wrecker driver were not hurt in the crash.
UPDATE: 2 HPD officers taken to the hospital one with a concussion following the firey crash. Police investigating driver of the red Ford Focus for DWI. No charges announced. @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/VNMIqP2L9X
— Rilwan Balogun (@KPRC2Rilwan) May 1, 2022
Both HPD officers were transported to Memorial Hermann in Texas Medical Center. One officer, who was in the driver’s seat at the time of the crash, suffered a concussion, Sgt. Rodriguez said. The officer in the passenger seat was evaluated and set to be released later Sunday.
Police say the driver in the red Ford Focus was evaluated at the hospital and is currently being investigated for DWI. Charges were not set.
All outbound mainlanes at Southwest Freeway are open as of 9:30 a.m.