The reward has increased for information about a recent hit-and-run that killed an Arlington police officer, the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office announced.
On September 21, Arlington Police Officer Darrin McMichael was traveling to work on his motorcycle on I-20 when traffic came to a sudden standstill. McMichael was not able to stop in time and bumped into the SUV that was ahead of him. The officer, still alive, was knocked from his motorcycle into the next traffic lane but was run over by a dark-colored sedan.
The unidentified driver of the sedan fled the scene immediately after running McMichael over and is still at large.
Officer McMichael was rushed to a local hospital, where he later died as a result of his injuries, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, which is investigating the incident, announced on September 22 that it is working with North Texas Crime Stoppers to find the driver responsible for the officer’s death. Crime Stoppers is offering $5,000 for information that leads to the arrest and indictment of a suspect in the case.
As of September 26, an additional $15,000 is being offered for information on the case, a police spokesperson announced at a news conference on Tuesday. Oak Farms Dairy, a sponsor of the Arlington Police Department, donated the additional reward money, NBC 5 DFW reported.
Detective Miguel Hernandez of the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office said that investigators only have the initial description of the vehicle as a “dark-colored sedan” to go off of and that solving this case was a “top priority,” according to WFAA.
Arlington Police Officer William Bill, a member of the motorcycle division that McMichael was part of, said at the conference that he and the rest of the department have been hurting since losing their fellow officer.
“There’s comfort in closure; that’s what we need. We need to come full circle. And if this person is listening, please do the right thing, turn yourself in, and if you don’t, we will find you,” said Bill, according to NBC 5.
McMichael’s funeral was held on Wednesday morning in Grand Prairie, though many metroplex residents began honoring him immediately following word of his death. A local organization, the Mini Coopers of Texas Club, is accepting donations for the fallen officer on its website through the end of the week, as reported by The Dallas Express.
Any person with information on the driver or the vehicle is urged to contact NTCS at 1-877-373-8477.
