Feb. 1, 2023 Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Curtis Putz was struck by a vehicle and seriously injured while investigating a crash Tuesday morning.
By Zaeem Shaikh Source The Dallas Morning News (TNS) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
NAVARRO COUNTY, Texas — A state trooper was struck by a vehicle on Interstate 45 in Navarro County on Tuesday morning.
Shortly before 9 a.m., Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Curtis Putz was struck by a vehicle and seriously injured while investigating a crash near mile marker 220, the agency said.
Putz was sent to a Dallas-area hospital, where he remains in serious condition, according to DPS.
Texas DPS Director Steven McCraw urged drivers to stay alert and drive cautiously during the winter storm. “Unfortunately, earlier today, as happens often in these storms, we had a trooper, as you can imagine, always getting out having to check. When you get out of that vehicle, you are at risk,” he said, “It took about an hour-and-a-half to get to the hospital. He certainly has some serious injuries because a person was driving too fast for these conditions and lost control of the vehicle and ran into our trooper.”
Texas State Rep. Cody Harris commented about the injured trooper on Twitter. “Taylor and I are praying for the State Trooper who was involved in a terrible accident in Navarro County this morning. Join us as we pray for the doctors tending to him and for his family,” he tweeted. “STAY OFF THE ROADS until the weather has cleared.”
DPS is investigating the crash and did not provide additional details.