DALLAS — An off-duty rookie Dallas police officer was on his way home from work when he was hit by a suspected drunk driver.
Hs’s the second officer hit by an alleged drunk driver in less than a month.
Officer Jacob Arellano was killed last month while driving to work by a female driver who police say was three times over the legal alcohol limit.
”We know we are going to be in danger when we work accidents, but now just going home, coming to work, seemingly driving to work, we are now just like every citizen who is at the will of these individuals who pretty much play Russian Roulette with the citizens of Dallas,” said Mike Mata, Dallas Police Association President.
Police arrested Angel Navarro, who they say was driving a stolen truck Thursday morning down Beckley Avenue.
Sources say he was being chased by another suspected drunk driver Navarro had side swiped in a minor accident on McKinney Avenue.
They crashed into the rookie officer on the Margaret Hunt Hill bridge.
Police say the officer injured was a rookie who was a week away from completing field training and was a block away from his home when it happened. He had just gotten off work.
The officer suffered serious internal injuries and broken legs that will require multiple operations.
”We are hoping he pulls through this, healthy and able to get back to doing what he has always wanted to be, and that’s to serve the citizens of Dallas and be a police officer,” said Mata.
Court records show Navarro is in the country illegally and has a criminal history dating back to his teens. In 2021 he was arrested for multiple burglaries and evading arrest.
Court records show, in November 2021, prosecutors agreed to lower Navarro's charges from felonies to misdemeanors. Sources say he would have been deported had the felony charges not been lowered.
”It’s so unfortunate how the judges are judged on how well they do their jobs but on how fast and quickly they clear their docket," said Mata. "Sometimes I think they sacrifice justice for the citizens for clearing their dockets."
Police say the number of drunk drivers on the streets has increased dramatically. Texas Department of Public Safety says they’ve seen nearly 10,000 more DWI arrests in the last year, and it’s costing lives.