HOUSTON - Two Houston police officers continue to recover from their injuries after an alleged drunk driver slammed into their patrol unit early Monday morning.
Harris County assistant district attorney Sean Teare, who is chief of the vehicular crimes division, said initial results show Cesar Collazo was twice over the legal limit before the fiery crash.
Teare said the DA’s office is going backwards to try and determine what the suspect was doing leading up to the crash.
As far as officers Alonzo Reid and John Daily, they will have to spend Christmas in the hospital following the crash.
Officer Reid’s mother Lisa said, “I’m reaching out to everyone in the Houston and around the world, do not drink and drive. You have caused serious pains to families.”
Owen Daily, officer Daily’s father said, “We just can’t say enough to the community. We need your prayers. John definitely needs his prayers.”
Collazo is sitting in the Harris County jail charged with multiple felonies.
No bond has been set.
“He’s obviously a flight risk. He ran from the scene of this crash and we’ve been unable to identify any permanent residence that he has here,” Teare said.
Also, he said Collazo has given different versions of what happened leading up to the crash.
“Most of them were that he was drinking at his apartment or his brother-in-law’s apartment which was right next to where the crash happened through the day. During that time they went numerous times to refill and buy more beer,” Teare said.
He’s named La Michoacana Meat Market as one store where Collazo allegedly bought beer before the crash.
A store receipt confirms Collazo bought beer at the store around 5 p.m. on Sunday.
The store is right across the street from where Collazo supposedly lives and where the crash took place on Telephone Road.
Teare said, “If in fact that is where he purchased it this last time before this crash it was walking distance. There was no need to be in a car.”
Collazo’s charged with two counts of intoxication assault of a peace officer and two counts of failing to stop and render aid, serious bodily injury.
If convicted on all charges he faces up to 60 years in prison.
