Deputy killed in fiery crash

Patrol SUV was struck by alleged drunken driver

A Precinct 7 constable deputy died Saturday when a suspected drunken driver in a Ford F-550 that she was waiting on slammed into the back of her patrol SUV in southwest Houston, trapping her in fiery wreckage, authorities said.

The deputy had been parked around 6 p.m. on the side of the Sam Houston Parkway, waiting for that specific driver — who dispatch had been alerted was approaching following a separate crash — when the vehicle hit her, officials said. Her patrol SUV veered down the road from the impact and burst into flames.

The deputy “never emerged” from the burning vehicle, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said. "She died trying to protect the community," he wrote.

Drivers who witnessed the crash rushed to help the deputy and to stop the other driver from fleeing in what was described as a "very heavy" F-550 with a utility box.

Deputies and medical examiner officials crowded the mangled wreckage after the crash. The deputy was not immediately identified.

Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen was among the officials to share their condolences in a tweet.

County Judge Lina Hidalgo called the deputy's death "absolutely tragic."

“It is a heavy week for law enforcement in Harris County and as a community we stand with our officers,” she said in a tweet. “My deepest condolences to the family and to Constable Walker and her team.”

So far in 2022, three other Harris County law enforcement officials have been killed — sheriff 's deputies Darren Almendarez after a shooting Thursday night, Sgt. Ramon Guiterrez in January, and Cpl. Charles Galloway of Precinct 5 also in January. The last Precinct 7 deputy to be killed was in 2008.

The sheriff's office will investigate the crash. Prosecutors also responded to the crash site for possible criminal charges.

A procession took the deputy's body to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.