EAST ALDINE — A man walking in the middle lane of Aldine Bender Road in North Houston, was hit and killed by a Houston police officer last Wednesday night. This is the second fatal auto-pedestrian crash involving an HPD officer in the last week.
Cpt. Anthony McConnell with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said the officer was traveling in the westbound middle lane of Aldine Bender Road near Picton when he struck a pedestrian around midnight. There are no visible crosswalks near the location of impact.
Sean Teare, chief of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office Vehicular Crimes Division, said the officer was responding to a non-urgent call, so he was not using his lights and sirens in an area that’s not well-lit. Investigators do not believe speed was a factor.
The officer reportedly turned around and performed life-saving measures on the victim, but was unsuccessful.
“These cases are incredibly tragic for everyone involved, the officer included,” said Teare. “We’ve got to go through and determine the exact speed that was involved. The real lighting, what the line of sight was, and a number of different things that are going to go into this.”
Family members and friends identified the victim as Caleb Swafford to media at the scene. They said he was on his way to visit a friend who lives at the Haverstock Hill Apartments when he was struck.
On Friday Dec. 30, an HPD sergeant hit and killed a pedestrian who was walking across the I-10 East Freeway near Wayside Drive while responding to a nonemergency call around 2 a.m.
Houston police are investigating a fatal crash at 7100 East Freeway (East Interstate Highway 10) about 2 a.m. Friday (Dec. 30).
The identity of the deceased male, 35, is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
HPD Vehicular Crimes Division Sergeant E. Fendia and Officer T. Phillips reported:
An on-duty HPD Northeast Patrol Division sergeant was driving a marked patrol vehicle westbound at the above address when he struck the male, a pedestrian, who was in a moving lane of traffic on the freeway. Paramedics pronounced the male deceased at the scene. The sergeant was not injured. Houston Police said that as of Thursday, the sergeant is back on duty.
HPD Asst. Chief Patricia Cantu said the officer involved in Thursday’s crash, who has been with the department for about two years, has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Houston Police Department Internal Affairs, and Harris County District Attorney’s Office are all investigating the crash.
Investigators returned to the area on Thursday to gather surveillance video and speak to individuals who may have witnessed the crash. Teare said the case will eventually be handed off to a grand jury, who will determine if charges will be filed.