CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — The Corpus Christi Police Department announced the death of Senior Officer Vicente Ortiz on its Facebook page Saturday morning. Ortiz died ten days after being struck while escorting a funeral procession.
On May 21, Ortiz was taking part in a funeral procession going southbound on Kostoryz Road when police said a female driver attempted to cross over from Sacky Drive. Officer Ortiz was unable to brake in time and collided with the vehicle.
Ortiz was thrown from his motorcycle and rushed to the hospital with critical injuries.
According to a GoFund Me page, Ortiz sustained major injuries to his pelvis and wrist in the accident and underwent multiple surgeries to reconstruct the shattered bones.
The woman driving the SUV was issued a ticket for cutting through a funeral procession, as well as failing to adhere to the right of way for an emergency vehicle.
According to the Corpus Christi Police Department's Public Information Office, there's no word yet on whether that driver will now face any charges in connection with Officer Ortiz' death.
Ortiz leaves behind a wife and two children. He was an officer with CCPD for 15 years.
CCPD is asking the community to keep Senior Officer Ortiz and his family in your prayers.
This is the second CCPD officer to die after receiving work-related injuries. On April 20th, Officer Kyle Hicks was shot while responding to a domestic disturbance on Burnham Drive. Hicks died from his injuries four days later.
