A funeral will be held next week for Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputy John H. Coddou III, who was fatally struck by a truck on the Grand Parkway.
There will be a visitation for Coddou on April 30, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home, 13001 Katy Freeway, Houston. A funeral service will be held at Second Baptist Church, 19449 Katy Freeway, Houston, on May 1 at 1 p.m. Following the service will be a graveside service at Forest Park Southwest Cemetery located at 9040 FM 395, Richmond.
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What happened?
The Harris County deputy was assisting at a crash scene on the Grand Parkway at Cumberland Ridge Drive when he was struck by an ongoing vehicle.
Life Flight was called to transport the deputy to Memorial Herman in the Medical Center. He was listed to be in serious condition but it was later announced he died from his injuries.
— HCSO Chaplaincy (@hcso_Jail_Chap) April 25, 2024
New details of the crash released
According to the release, Deputy Investigator Coddou was assisting the minor crash on the northbound main lanes of SH-99 at 9:36 a.m.
He parked his HCSO vehicle on the left shoulder of the road with the right side of the vehicle partially blocking the number one northbound lane while he investigated the crash, the release stated.
At 9:42 a.m., a white Chevrolet Silverado 2500 approached the crash scene traveling northbound in the number one lane of SH-99, the release read. The driver of the Silverado was reportedly talking on the phone hands-free while he approached the crash scene.
The release stated the driver “engaged in a faulty evasive action” to avoid crashing into the deputy’s vehicle and drove into the grassy median dividing the northbound and southbound lanes of the Grand Parkway.
Deputy Coddou was standing in the grassy median when he was struck by the front right of the Silverado, the release stated.
The case remains under investigation by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Vehicular Crimes.
The driver has been identified as a suspect in this case.
Coddou’s career
After retiring from the U.S. Army, Coddou joined the HCSO as a detention officer in 2003 and was promoted to deputy two years later. West Harris County was his home during his career as a patrol deputy. His most recent position is as an investigator for the sheriff’s office violent crimes unit.
What people are saying
Coddou tried to avoid the truck but he was hit, said Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
“Our hearts are broken, our spirits are crushed,” Gonzalez said. “It’s a sad day in Harris County as we mourn the loss of one of our deputies that died in the line of duty.”
The driver of the truck remained at the scene and was cooperating with investigators, Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said that Caddou could have decided not to stop and drive past the crash scene.
“But that wasn’t who John was. By all accounts, he was a public servant through and through,” Gonzalez said.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo shares her condolences:
My heart goes out to the family, friends, and colleagues of the Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy, John Hampton Coddou, who passed away this morning after being struck while assisting with a traffic accident on Highway 99. In his 20-year career with the Sheriff’s Office, he has left a lasting impact on our community. I want to thank his family for sharing him with us as he put his life at risk every day to keep Harris County safe. I am in touch with the Sheriff’s Office, and we are working to provide them with any support they need during this time.
Texas Boys Outdoors highlighted how Coddou was an “awesome guy that was a joy to have out on the water fishing and hanging out with.”
We got some shocking and very sad news that John Coddou, one of our police officer guests on the recent TBO Cops vs...
Posted by Texas Boys Outdoors on Tuesday, April 23, 2024