Two Houston police officers serving on a DWI task force were knocked off a freeway and fell nearly 20 feet early Friday morning when a suspected drunk driver reportedly struck a stopped vehicle and then careened towards the cops.
The officers, who weren’t immediately identified, didn’t suffer serious injuries, KTRK reported. Investigators said the 25-year-old female driver smelled of alcohol and authorities were investigating the incident as a DWI.
Officials said firefighters screamed a warning to the officers as the car drove towards them. One of the officers fell from the freeway ledge, while the other officer jumped out of the way and also went over the ledge. He clung to the side before eventually letting go and plunging to the ground, KTRK reported.
“You've got essentially a 3,000, 4,000, 10,000-pound weapon coming straight at these officers,” HPD Sgt. Thomas Fendia told The Houston Chronicle. “There's absolutely nothing they can do…it's a scary situation. It really is.”
Both cops landed on their backs in a grassy area 16 feet below the freeway. Neither officer suffered any broken bones in the fall.