CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Two recent incidents in our area are bringing the issue of motorcycle safety center stage. Most recently, an officer was hit Tuesday while operating in a funeral procession.
3NEWS spoke to an eyewitness who wished to remain anonymous. She said that when she saw the officer get struck by the car, she could only think of one thing to do.
"I would just like the officer to know that I'm praying for you sir," she said.
Corpus Christi Police Department Cpt. Timothy Frazier said that while the officer who was hit did receive broken bones, he does not believe his injuries are life-threatening. Frazier said that situations like these can be tense for his department.
"Obviously we just lost an officer, so this is pretty fresh for us. And to have another officer hurt, severely hurt. It does hit us hard," he said.
It's a loss that is also being felt by friends and family of 30-year-old Rosa Perez and 32-year-old Roman Brady Perez, the couple was killed in a motorcycle accident Sunday off of Airline Road and SPID.
"Watch out for the motorcycles, every single one of them. Look everywhere around. It's a domino effect," said Kristi Mariee, who was in attendance at the vigil.
Mariee said that even though they are in mourning, they know Roman left a lasting impact on those who knew him.
"I have been getting messages about how much he has touched everybody's life. It's a good blessing for our family. He has a lot of support," she said.
Frazier also reminds motorists that there are consequences for those who do not respect the rules of the road.
"The female driver will be cited for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle and cutting through a funeral procession," he said.