Dallas officer killed today.....

[TC]

http://a1416.g.akamai.net/f/1416/744/1d/www.dallasnews.com/img/daily/0820wreckhp.jpg
Cheryl Diaz-Meyer / DMN
Police view the scene of a South Dallas accident that killed a fellow officer Saturday afternoon.


Breaking news
Crash kills Dallas officer
Senior Cpl. Harold Franklin Baird Jr., 38, died hours after the 1 p.m. accident. The driver of the patrol car, Officer Michael Scott Jones, 33, was expected to recover from a head injury and broken ribs, officials said. The car hit a utility pole after a collision with another vehicle, whose driver left the scene, witnesses told police. Herbert Lee Madison, 45, was arrested on charges of criminally negligent homicide and failure to stop and render aid.

[Rebecca]

The picture gives us the shocking grimness of how horrendously this Officer died...

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*Senior Corporal Harold Franklin Baird Jr.
Dallas Police Department, TX

Cause of Death: Vehicular assault
End of Watch: August 19, 2000
Date of Incident: August 19, 2000
Time of Incident: 1254 hours
Age: 38
Tour of Duty: 11 yr
Suspect Info: Arrested later in day
Weapon Used: Automobile

Senior Corporal Baird was killed after the cruiser he was riding in was struck by a hit-and-run driver. Corporal Baird, a field training officer, and his trainee were responding to assist another officer in a pursuit of a stolen car. The officers were driving down a straight stretch of road at approximately 70 mph, with their emergency lights and siren on, when another vehicle turned from its lane, striking the rear of the cruiser. Upon impact one of the rear tires burst causing the officer to lose control. The vehicle spun around and struck a utility pole on the passenger side, where Corporal Baird was riding. He was transported to a local hospital where he died approximately three hours later. The suspect stopped and used a payphone, picked up his bumper out of the roadway, and fled the scene but was captured later in the day.

Corporal Baird had received 41 commendations in during his 11 years with the agency.

*as reported by the ODMP

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An officer does not need a commendation to show his dedication, but to receive 41 commendations in 11 short years is still quite remarkable. He had a very accomplished career... and there was so much more he could have done. He was only 38 years old.

May he rest in peace for all of eternity.

http://www.officer.com/ubb/frown.gif

Please... be safe, everyone.