A truck accident in central Texas claimed the life of one Pasadena police officer and seriously injured another.
Larry Candelari and Mike Huffman, both 49, were both off duty and returning from a hunting trip when they stopped to help a stranded motorist on Interstate 10 near Kerrville. It was about 9:40 p.m. when they spotted a driver who had lost their trailer. A pickup truck had hit a U-Haul trailer, forcing it loose from the sedan that was pulling it. The trailer drifted into the left lane of the highway, and a few other motorists stopped to help.
While the officers were assisting the other drivers, an 18-wheeler came down the Interstate and veered to miss the trailer. Doing that caused it to crash into the parked vehicles on the right shoulder where Candelari and Huffman were both standing.
Andy Lewis, who witnessed the accident, said, "The 18-wheeler comes barreling down the road and doesn't hit the brakes until he hits vehicles."
The driver of the truck, who has not been charged with anything, said he tried to stop as fast as he could. Authorities do not believe he had been drinking, but he may have been impaired by fatigue.
Candelari and Huffman were standing on the bridge when the crash occurred, and the impact sent Candelari over the side of the bridge, killing him. Huffman was among four people who were injured, and he ultimately had the lower part of one of his legs amputated at University Hospital in San Antonio.
Girards Law extends heartfelt condolences to the families of both officers after this tragic event.