Video shows Fort Worth officer's high-speed, rollover crash

[TXCharlie]

The media is making a big deal out of this, trying to renew the speed debate... There's a comment feature on the web page, if you want to offset the weenies like "Guess What".

Zoom! Dashcam Clocks Cop at 100 Before Crash | NBC Dallas-Fort Worth

Zoom! Dashcam Clocks Cop at 100 Before Crash Video shows Fort Worth officer's high-speed, rollover crash

By SCOTT GORDON
Updated 10:56 PM CDT, Mon, Mar 23, 2009



KXAS
Officer T. Horne's dashboard camera clocks him at 100 mph.

A Fort Worth police officer who crashed his patrol car last month was driving 100 mph shortly before it overturned, according to video from the dashboard camera.


Fort Worth police officer T. Horne overturned his patrol car Feb. 27 on his way to an emergency call.

Watch Video on web site
Videos shows a Fort Worth officer driving 100 mph shortly before he crashed.

Officer T. Horne was on his way to help another officer who wasn’t answering his radio when he lost control on Bridge Street at about 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 27.

The video, obtained under the Texas Open Records Law, shows the officer reached 99 mph as he approached a group of cars, then slowed to pass them.

Then, as he was about to pass another car, he topped out at 100 mph and lost control, the video shows.

Horne was rushed to a hospital, but was not seriously injured.

There are no policies limiting how fast officers can drive on the way to an emergency, but police will review the crash to see if the officer was at fault.

"If so, he will face some sort of discipline," Lt. Paul Henderson said.

[Rhino]

Just gives us all a reminder that you can't help another officer if you're out of commission.

Also- ANSWER YOUR EFFING RADIO. One of my huge pet peeves.

[luckyme]

I'm all about hustling to a call like that, but clearing a red light at 85mph?


Hope the officer recovers, but he's going to catch some crap over this.

[Cidp24]

You can't help if you don't get there. Glad the officer is ok.

[TXCharlie]

I'm all about hustling to a call like that, but clearing a red light at 85mph?

Oh yeah... I noticed the green one at 96 MPH but not the red one. Both of them were way too fast, I admit.

On 2nd look, the streets seem wet, too... I wonder if they were really wet, or if the reflections are an artifact of the camera? When he looses it, it seems like it might be because the road is slick. If that's the case, he's probably toast.

[TXCharlie]

Also- ANSWER YOUR EFFING RADIO. One of my huge pet peeves.

No way I'm gonna mess with the radio while I'm doing 100 MPH, unless it's 100% critical. If anything, I'd be tempted to chunk it out the window.

[luckyme]

No way I'm gonna mess with the radio while I'm doing 100 MPH, unless it's 100% critical. If anything, I'd be tempted to chunk it out the window.

I think he meant the call this officer that wrecked was going on was to backup another that wasn't answering his radio.

[TXCharlie]

I think he meant the call this officer that wrecked was going on was to backup another that wasn't answering his radio.

Oh, ok - yeah probably so.

[Xiphos]

I don't see any problems with anything in that video except busting those intersections so fast. But I don't know what his line of sight was, maybe he could see better than the tunnel vision of the camera and knew there were not cars coming. He had his lights and I presume siren (I have no audio here.) The display showed LS for lights and sirens I'm guessing. Driving like that without the emergency equipment would be doom on him, but he had the equipment on and he didn't hit anyone else.

Also, what was going on with the officer not answering the radio? Was he on a civil dispute and not answering a routine check? Or was there a bunch of key ups or background disorder before not answering? Did he mark out with a fight or group of gang bangers before not answering? There's a range of different responses with driving there.

It may have been prudent to slow down a bit (certainly before the curve in the road) but I'm not saying he's wrong to be driving code to that.

[Captain America]

You can't help if you don't get there. Glad the officer is ok.

+1.

[mavriktu]

Last time I posted something about a crash while rushing to back up somebody,I posted what the others here have said,Cant help if you dont get there.BOY,did I piss in someones Cheerios that day.

[Cidp24]

It looks to me like he simply drove outside of his ability or the mechanical limits of the vehicle. I can't blame him for rushing to back another officer but you have to know your limitations and that of your vehicle. At 90 mph the average distance would be just under 200 ft just to perceive the threat and get your foot on the brake or take evasive steering. That's 2/3 of a football field and it does not include braking distance to actually stop the car after the foot hits the pedal. Even though a trained and experienced officer might be able to react just a little faster, slowing down just a little greatly increases your chances of getting there and being of assistance.

[CTR man]

My dad always told me "It is better to arrive alive than not at all."

[Bama512]

I work traffic out on the highway all the time where I am chasing down speeding cars going 80+ mph. I regularly have to get up to 100-110 to catch up to them depending on how much over 80 they were.

I've had to haul the mail several times doing what this officer did...going to check on an officer on a domestic or other type call because dispatch can't get them on the radio or phone.

I agree with others. The red light made me cringe...and not sure what happened on the curve. I'm wondering what the road conditions were like too.

[Second Chance]

I'm all about hustling to a call like that, but clearing a red light at 85mph?


Hope the officer recovers, but he's going to catch some crap over this.

+1

[mtaylor]

looks like he tapped the breaks right at the top of the hill/turn which is a no no as it takes weight off the rear wheels.

[10-42Adam]

Glad the Officer is okay. I definitely got a little nervous when he or she blew that redlight so fast and thought for sure thats where the accident was going to happen.

I guess we have to keep in mind that we can't see outside the perimeters of the camera, unlike the Officer. Also, I'm not familiar with those streets as the Officer probably is. I trust that the Officer was fully capable of seeing no oncoming traffic in that intersection and made the decision to go through at such a high rate of speed because of it.

[MacLean]

No way I'm gonna mess with the radio while I'm doing 100 MPH, unless it's 100% critical. If anything, I'd be tempted to chunk it out the window.

If you are driving so fast you can't answer your radio, you are driving too fucking fast for conditions. I've managed a pursuit on my own and kept up with the radio traffic.

When I couldn't do that, I terminated.

I realize the OP on the radio comment was referring to the other officer, but your comment sort of came out wrong.

[pgg]

The clearing the intersections at that kind of speed scares me. I can't control what other people do so I always slow down, even when I have the green light. Code 3 always brings out the stupid in people. That said we reguraly do 100+ mph to get to calls. We are in a pretty rural area so its fairly easy to do safely. When we get into town, intersections, housing areas etc we slow way down. I usually won't do more then 10mph over the speed limit in a residential type area.

When I have to go way out of the way to back people 50+miles away I will haul ass between towns.