CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Jan. 31st, 2020, a day the Coastal Bend will never forget.
Today marks two years since the night Corpus Christi Senior Police Officer Alan McCollum passed away in the line of duty.
McCollum and his partner were responding to a call for racing along SPID when they pulled over a car near Kostoryz.
During the stop, a truck smashed into the police unit, killling McCollum and injuring another officer at the scene. Detectives arrested 27-year old Brandon Portillo for suspicion of drunk driving.
Portillo currently sits in Nueces County Jail, awaiting trial. No date has been set yet due, in part, to the pandemic.
Portillo faces one charge of Intoxication Manslaughter of a Peace Officer, and two counts Intoxication Assault of a Peace Officer.
According to CCPD Lt. Michael Pena, McCollum was a man of kind spirit and upstanding moral compass.
"If you knew Alan and got a chance to meet him, he was a good man," Pena said.
He adds that while the department is no stranger to loss, the commitment of it's officers will forever leave an impact on the community.
"We've lost quite a few since I've been on the department, and they have all in their own individual ways made an impact," Pena said.
As a seven year veteran of the department, McCollum's death stunned the community he served. Officer McCollum was a U.S. Army veteran and recipient of the Bronze Star. McCollum was 46-years old, and is survived by a wife and three children.
For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.
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