A former Houston Police officer is on trial for criminally negligent homicide after a deadly crash in November 2020.
A Harris County grand jury indicted Matthew Valdez in July 2021.
Valdez resigned from HPD in January 2021 after being relieved of duty, a spokesperson for the department said.
Surveillance video from a nearby gas station shows Cooper, who was driving a black Cadillac, approach a stop sign at Darien Street and Ley Road in northeast Houston, and then drive into the intersection to cross Ley.
At that same moment, the video shows an HPD SUV westbound on Ley Road, the two officers inside responding to a weapon disturbance call. The impact from the patrol vehicle sent Cooper’s car across the street into the gas station parking lot.
Investigators said Valdez was driving 90 mph in a 35 mph zone and that he did not have lights or sirens on.
In court Monday, prosecutors revealed Valdez was not dispatched to the call and volunteered to respond as a backup.
The defense and prosecutors questioned several HPD officers who were dispatched to the initial call about whether they were allowed to use lights and sirens during calls that were classified as priority/code 2.
Testimony continues Tuesday morning.
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A Harris County grand jury indicted Matthew Valdez in July 2021.
Valdez resigned from HPD in January 2021 after being relieved of duty, a spokesperson for the department said.
Surveillance video from a nearby gas station shows Cooper, who was driving a black Cadillac, approach a stop sign at Darien Street and Ley Road in northeast Houston, and then drive into the intersection to cross Ley.
At that same moment, the video shows an HPD SUV westbound on Ley Road, the two officers inside responding to a weapon disturbance call. The impact from the patrol vehicle sent Cooper’s car across the street into the gas station parking lot.
Investigators said Valdez was driving 90 mph in a 35 mph zone and that he did not have lights or sirens on.
In court Monday, prosecutors revealed Valdez was not dispatched to the call and volunteered to respond as a backup.
The defense and prosecutors questioned several HPD officers who were dispatched to the initial call about whether they were allowed to use lights and sirens during calls that were classified as priority/code 2.
Testimony continues Tuesday morning.
Continue reading...