JIM WELLS COUNTY, Texas — “All I saw was the debris from the vehicles just come straight towards me,” said Trooper Issiac Espinoza with the Texas Department of Public Safety.
On Sunday before 5 p.m., Espinoza made a traffic stop in Jim Wells County on Highway 281, mile marker 702.
Elizondo was nearly hit by another oncoming car as he was taking care of the traffic stop.
Espinoza said he doesn't usually approach the driver-side window, but on this stop, he felt he had enough room on the side of the road.
He said he routinely will look down at the driver and up at the road to watch for oncoming cars. As the driver handed Espinoza his license, a white Chrysler 300 driven by Edgar Rivera came driving along the shoulder and crashed into Espinoza's patrol car.
“I turned around, and I sucked myself to the violator's car as much as I could to avoid being hit," Espinoza said.
In his body cam video, you can see the crash unfold until Espinoza pushes himself towards the parked car. His body cam falls off and underneath the car.
Espinoza and the driver he pulled over weren’t hurt. Espinoza then checked on the Rivera, who is from McAllen. Rivera had a few cuts and told Espinoza he didn't know what happened.
“He said I don't know, I just blacked out. I said what do you mean you blacked out? Were you on your phone? Did you fall asleep? He’s like no, no, I just blacked out and heard a big bang. So, I'm assuming he was on his way to work from the valley. This was on U.S. 281, going northbound just before Alice. And so, I’m assuming maybe he had fallen asleep,” Espinoza said.
Espinoza said he’s grateful to be okay, and several bystanders stopped to check on him and the others.
"I definitely felt the love and support from those bystanders, and they were asking are you OK? Are you OK?" he said.
Espinoza said this is a good reminder for people to remember to move over and slow down when you see law enforcement or Emergency Management Services on the side of the road.
“If they know they’re traveling a long way if they have to be up early the next day, definitely get the appropriate amount of sleep. That way, they don’t have to drive tired. They can be more aware of their surroundings.”
A DPS official said driving tired can be similar to driving drunk.
Espinoza said Rivera’s car was totaled, and he was also given a citation.
Espinoza returned to work on Monday, making his first traffic stop since the crash. He said he felt uneasy and might feel that way for some time. He said he'll be checking the roadway during traffic stops more often because it's part of the risk of doing this job.
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