A Beaumont police officer is recovering from injuries he received when he was hit by a car as he removed debris from Interstate 10.
Dispatchers received a call just after 2 p.m. Friday from a person saying the back doors of a westbound 18-wheeler in the 1700 block of I-10 came open. The caller said several large tires fell out. The driver of the 18-wheeler did not stop and left the tires on the roadway.
Officer Ronald D. Patton, 28-year-old Beaumont Police Officer who has been with the department 3 1/2 years, responded with another officer to remove the tires from the roadway.
At 2:26pm, Officer Patton was in the inside lane trying to move one of the tires. A 2005 Gold Mazda SUV was struck from behind by a Toyota Tundra driven by a 39-year-old male. The Mazda was knocked into Officer Patterson and BPD Unit 1429.
Officer Patton noticed the vehicle just before it struck him and tried to jump toward the median, but he was struck and thrown into the air, over the median and into the east bound lane of traffic.
Officer Patton was conscious at the scene and transported to Memorial Herman Baptist hospital.
A statement issued Friday afternoon by the Beaumont Police Department says Officer Patterson's injuries are not life threatening.
The driver of the Mazda, a 7 year old passenger from the Mazda and the driver of the Tundra were all treated on the scene and released by EMS.
The 18-Wheeler driver returned to the scene to pick up his tires and is speaking with traffic investigators.
As of 4:45 p.m. Friday, traffic investigators were still taking statements and investigating the accident.
