A Fort Worth police officer fell nearly 50 feet in an effort to avoid being hit by an oncoming vehicle this weekend.
“Early Saturday morning February 11, a patrol officer from the Northwest Division was on an assist motorist call on 820 westbound at the 35W north/south split,” said Officer Daniel Segura, a spokesman for the department, speaking to The Dallas Express.
At the time of the incident, the officer was setting up flares so oncoming traffic would be notified that a person was working to help a disabled vehicle. As the officer was setting up the flares, he noticed a vehicle rapidly approaching.
“Fearing he was about to be struck by the vehicle, he had no choice but to jump over the retaining wall, falling 40 to 50 feet to the ground,” said Segura.
The officer survived the fall and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. He is now recovering and is listed in stable condition, according to police.
It is unknown whether there is video footage of the incident or whether the driver of the oncoming vehicle stopped to help.
Segura also spoke with local news outlet NBC 5 and urged motorists to drive more prudently.
“When you see those flashing lights — they could be firefighters, paramedics, police — slow down,” said Segura. “This time it was an officer. It could have been a regular citizen.”
In 2021, 239,539 people were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes, according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). That same year, TxDOT logged over 211 fatal crashes in Tarrant County. The agency launched the #EndTheStreakTX campaign last year, noting at the time that an average of 11 people were dying each day on Texas roads and that it hoped to cut this figure by half by 2035.
An investigation into the latest incident involving the Fort Worth officer is ongoing.
