HARRIS COUNTY, TX – A tragic incident unfolded earlier this week when a deputy investigator from Harris County, John Coddou, was fatally struck by a truck while on duty. The 50-year-old officer, who had served the Harris County Sheriff’s Office for two decades, was investigating a minor accident on Highway 99 when the incident occurred.
According to a traffic report from the Sheriff’s Office, Coddou had parked his patrol vehicle on the highway’s left shoulder, partially blocking one of the northbound lanes. His vehicle’s emergency lights were activated as he began his investigation.
Within minutes, a Chevrolet Silverado 2500 approached the scene, driven by an unidentified male. The driver, who was using a hands-free device on his cellphone, attempted to avoid hitting Coddou’s vehicle but ended up driving into the median separating the north and southbound lanes.
Tragically, this is where Coddou was standing. He was hit by the right front area of the truck, the report detailed.
Following the accident, Coddou was airlifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez expressed deep sadness over the loss of the veteran officer. A procession was held in Coddou’s honor on Thursday.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office’s Vehicular Crimes Division is currently investigating the fatal collision.