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Northlake officer, prisoner hurt in Westlake wreck

Posted on May 12, 2011

A Northlake police officer and a prisoner he was transporting were injured early Thursday when the patrol vehicle was clipped by an 18-wheeler after being rear-ended by a pickup and pushed into an intersection in Westlake, Keller police said.

The pickup driver, who was not identified, was in custody at a local hospital, Keller police said. The driver could face intoxication assault charges.

The officer and the prisoner were taken in separate air ambulances to Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth. The Northlake officer, who was not identified, was in stable condition, said Northlake Police Chief David Henley who was at the hospital.

The prisoner's condition was unavailable, but authorities did not believe the injuries were life-threatening.

The wreck occurred shortly before 4 a.m. Thursday at U.S. 377 and Texas 170 in Westlake. Keller police investigated the accident because Westlake contracts with Keller for police service.

According to preliminary Keller police reports, the Northlake officer had just picked up the prisoner at the Keller Jail to transport him to the Denton County Jail. The suspect had been arrested on traffic violations, Keller police said.

The officer in a Northlake police sports utility vehicle was stopped at a traffic signal in the northbound lane of Highway 377 when a pickup traveling at about 60 miles per hour rear-ended the police vehicle, Keller police said. The police vehicle was pushed into the path of an 18-wheeler traveling eastbound on Texas 170.

"The 18-wheeler had a green light and was almost through the intersection when the police vehicle was pushed and hit the back of the 18-wheeler," said Keller police Lt. Brenda Slovak.

The driver of the 18-wheeler was not injured.

The pickup driver was taken to a local hospital for any possible injuries and to have blood drawn, Slovak said.

Keller police closed part of the highways for a few hours Thursday morning while they investigated the accident, but the roads have reopened.

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