Officer-involved crash result of attempted traffic stop; two officers hospitalized
The two El Paso Police officers injured in a work-related wreck in Northeast El Paso are out of the hospital.
The crash happened around 4:20 am Thursday, December 21, 2017 at the intersection of Quail Avenue and Tivoli Street.
According to the crash report obtained by ABC-7, Officer Michael Williams, 35, was attempting to pull over a suspicious vehicle ahead of him on the 6100 block of Quail.
The driver of the vehicle the police officers were pursuing was driving east on Quail when it turned right onto Tivoli. The report states what is when Williams activated his emergency patrol lights while turning onto Quail Avenue. Investigators said Williams failed to control his speed and hit a rock wall at the corner house at 6045 Quail. The force of the impact caused the iron fence to hit the rear of a vehicle parked in the home’s driveway.
“It was around 4:22 am and I was asleep. Then I heard a loud bang and I see the officers get out and they are shocked,” said Leslie Rosales, who got a rude awakening the morning. “It is still shocking and I am still trying to wrap my head around this. I don’t know how or why? What was going on? What were they doing.”
Rosales said the wreck sent pieces of her rock wall crashing into her mother’s SUV. “The vehicles are only materialistic possessions and I am just thankful everyone is okay and everything can get fixed. I’m just glad they are okay,” Rosales said.
Williams and his passenger, Officer Jonathan Longenbaugh, 28, were both taken to the hospital.
The report states Williams had his seat belt on and was taken to the hospital for minor injuries Longenbaugh did not have his seat belt on, according to the report. He was taken to the hospital with “incapacitating injuries.”
The driver the officer’s were pursuing never pulled over, police said. The Rosales Family is working with their insurance company, reportedly waiting for the police report before paying for the damage.
A spokesman with the Police Department said both officers were released from the hospital and are back on patrol. The crash is still being investigated.
