HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – Texas authorities have released more details in the line-of-duty death of a Harris County deputy who was struck by a truck while working a collision scene earlier this week.
Investigator John Coddou, 50, died on Tuesday after he was hit by a man driving a Chevrolet Silverado 2500 while investigating a minor crash.
The Officer Down Memorial Page provided the following details:
Investigator John Coddou was struck and killed while helping at the scene of a vehicle crash on the Grand Parkway in Houston.
At 9:30 a.m., Investigator Coddou responded to a minor collision near the Cumberland Ridge Drive intersection. He parked on the center median with his lights activated. A truck traveling north swerved to avoid hitting the patrol vehicle and struck Investigator Coddou in the median.
He was transported by Life Flight to Memorial Hermann Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Investigator Coddou was a United States Army veteran and had served with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office for 20 years. He is survived by his wife and mother.
According to a traffic report from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the striking driver was talking on his cellphone hands-free while approaching the area and engaged in a “faulty evasive action” to avoid hitting Coddou’s vehicle, Fox News Digital reported.
By doing that, he drove into the center grassy median that was dividing the northbound and southbound lanes, which was where Coddou was standing.
The deputy was struck by the front right area of the truck, the report said.
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the agency was “deeply saddened” by Coddou’s death and a procession was held in his honor on Thursday.
The investigation of the traffic fatality remains ongoing by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office’s Vehicular Crimes Division.
