32-Year-Veteran Police Officer Injured in This Morning's Crash Transported to Dallas Hospital

A video of the press conference with Police Chief Tim Vasquez was added near the end of this story. A crash involving a San Angelo Police Officer driving an unmarked white Dodge Charger and a Concho Valley Electric Cooperative truck happened on the north side of San Angelo on U.S. 87 and Humble Rd. The officer was rushed to Shannon Medical Center with serious injuries, under police escort.

[[{"fid":"19843","view_mode":"preview","type":"media","attributes":{"alt":"A major crash at U.S. 87 and Humble Rd. on April 5, 2016. (LIVE! Photo/Joe Hyde)","title":"A major crash at U.S. 87 and Humble Rd. on April 5, 2016. (LIVE! Photo/Joe Hyde)","height":"675","width":"1200","class":"media-element file-preview imgbody"}}]]

Early Tuesday morning, San Angelo Police Traffic Investigators were combing the crash scene at U.S. 87 North and Humble Rd. trying to determine how the white unmarked police car, a Dodge Charger, that police said was T-boned on the driver's door by a CVEC truck, ended up 50 yards away from the supposed point of impact, across a median and two lanes of traffic. The Charger came to a rest pointing southwest in a barrow ditch beyond the west shoulder of the highway, it’s door torn from the vehicle.

[[{"fid":"19844","view_mode":"preview","type":"media","attributes":{"alt":"A major crash at U.S. 87 and Humble Rd. on April 5, 2016. (LIVE! Photo/Joe Hyde)","title":"A major crash at U.S. 87 and Humble Rd. on April 5, 2016. (LIVE! Photo/Joe Hyde)","height":"900","width":"1200","class":"media-element file-preview imgbody"}}]]

Firefighters were called to the scene for a trapped, or pinned, driver. After extraction, he was rushed to Shannon Medical Center in an ambulance with police escort.

According to police, the Charger was westbound on Humble Rd. and witnesses told them the Charger stopped at the stop sign at U.S. 87 before pulling out into traffic, likely to cross the northbound lanes. The CVEC truck that was northbound at highway speeds didn’t have time to avoid hitting the Charger. From the damage on the front grill guard of the CVEC truck, it appears the impact was direct, head-on.

[[{"fid":"19845","view_mode":"preview","type":"media","attributes":{"alt":"A major crash at U.S. 87 and Humble Rd. on April 5, 2016. (LIVE! Photo/Joe Hyde)","title":"A major crash at U.S. 87 and Humble Rd. on April 5, 2016. (LIVE! Photo/Joe Hyde)","height":"900","width":"1200","class":"media-element file-preview imgbody"}}]]

The speed limit sign posted 30 yards north of the intersection reads 65 mph, but police do not believe exceeding the speed limit was a factor in this crash.

The crash happened at around 8 a.m. this morning.

This is a developing story and we will report more once police release information.

A press conference is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.

[[{"fid":"19846","view_mode":"preview","type":"media","attributes":{"alt":"A major crash at U.S. 87 and Humble Rd. on April 5, 2016. (LIVE! Photo/Joe Hyde)","title":"A major crash at U.S. 87 and Humble Rd. on April 5, 2016. (LIVE! Photo/Joe Hyde)","height":"900","width":"1200","class":"media-element file-preview imgbody"}}]]

Update 9:59 a.m.

Chief Tim Vasquez and Officer Tracy Gonzalez, public information officer for SAPD, met with media at 9:30 a.m., and advised that the officer involved in the crash is a senior supervisor; however, they are not releasing his name at this time until family has been notified.

Vasquez said the officer is in critical condition, but he is expected to survive. He is awaiting surgery. Vasquez said the officer is likely facing an arduous recovery.

Update 1:49 p.m.

SAPD Officer Tracy Gonzalez provided an update on the officer injured in this morning's crash, and said 52-year-old Police Sergeant Fred Dietz, Jr., a 32-year-veteran was injured early this morning following a major vehicle crash with entrapment at Humble Road and U.S. Hwy 87 North.  The crash occurred around 7:50 a.m.

Sgt. Dietz was traveling westbound on Humble Rd. and stopped at the stop sign before the crash occurred.

"At some point, Dietz proceeded from the stop in an attempt to cross U.S. Hwy 87 when a utility truck that was traveling northbound in the right lane collided with Dietz’s vehicle," said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez said the force of the collision caused Dietz’s unmarked, white-colored 2010 Dodge Charger to pivot around and continue to travel across northbound traffic lanes and into the median towards the west side of U.S. HWY 87. Both drivers were wearing seat belts at the time of the collision and Dietz’s front airbag deployed.

"Dietz was extricated from his vehicle by San Angelo Fire Department personnel and transported to Shannon Medical Center by ambulance for treatment of incapacitating injuries," said Gonzalez. "Due to the severity of the injuries, Dietz was subsequently flown to a trauma care facility in the Dallas. 

The utility truck’s driver, a 36-year-old resident of San Angelo and employee of Concho Valley Electric Cooperative, Inc., was not injured during the crash. Gonzalez said the 2015 Freightliner has an estimated gross weight of 52,940 pounds.  

Several patrol officers and traffic investigators responded to the scene to divert traffic and conduct an investigation. The Department also issued a Nixle alert to citizens to avoid traveling the area. At the conclusion of the field investigation, Dietz’s failure to yield to oncoming traffic was determined to be a contributing factor to the crash and a citation for Failure to Yield the Right of Way will be issued. There is no indication at this time that the truck’s driver was traveling at an excessive speed and he did not receive any citations. The posted speed limit along that section of U.S. HWY 87 is 55 MPH.