James Heath, an officer with Hempstead Police Department and Courtney Banks, a Galveston County Sheriff’s Deputy, are thankful to be alive after a major car accident on Wednesday night. The two officers were working second jobs providing security for a construction crew working on a section of I-45 near the Galveston causeway. Their vehicles were struck by a woman driving at an estimated 80-100 MPH: both officers’ vehicles had the blue and red emergency lights activated.
Interviewed by Channel 13 in his hospital bed, Deputy Courtney Banks reported a ruptured spleen, inter-cranial bleeding, and bruised if not fractured ribs. Photographs of the massive rear-end damage to Banks’ Chevy Tahoe are included below. In the impact the Tahoe was knocked forward about 500 feet into the rear of the white-colored vehicle, also shown below. To his credit, Deputy Banks told Channel 13 that he is “…like a tank…” and that he may break down now and then, but fix him up and he’s right back at it. You’ve got to respect that spirit.
The driver who crashed into the officers is hospitalized in fair condition and may face charges pending toxicology reports. Investigators found drugs in the woman’s vehicle.
Smith & Hassler has handled virtually this identical case. Several years ago our firm represented a Harris County Deputy Sheriff who was inside a coned-off construction area on the US 290 feeder road, providing security for a road striping crew. The deputy was in Ford Crown Victoria with red and blue emergency lights activated when an intoxicated tow truck driver plowed through the safety cones and destroyed the rear-end of the Crown Vic, injuring the deputy. That case settled on highly favorable terms.
If you have been seriously injured due to the gross negligence of an impaired driver, Smith & Hassler would like to help. We aggressively pursue drunk driving accident cases and can point to many, many lawsuits filed by our attorneys when insurance companies attempt to get off lightly without properly compensating our clients.
Officer James Heath in hospital
Deputy Courtney Banks' destroyed Chevy Tahoe
Deputy Courtney Banks recovering in hospital
Banks' Tahoe was pushed into this car
Courtney Banks' totaled Chevy Tahoe
