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Officer hits SUV with children inside at 67 m.p.h., investigators say

The impact killed a six-year-old boy inside the SUV
Justin Matthews
Reporter
Officer hits SUV with children inside at 67 m.p.h., investigators say

The impact killed a six-year-old boy inside the SUV

WEBVTT STIGATION, ACTION 7 NEWSREPORTER JUSTIN MATTHEWS SHOWSUS WHAT IT WAS LIKE RIGHT AFTERTHE CRASH HAPPENED.JUSTIN:rt THIS IS THEINVESTIGATION.MORE THAN 200 PAGES OF DOCUMENTSI'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH TONIGHT.I'VE LEARNED HOW FAST THEOFFICER WAS GOING, AND THEBErtRNALILLO COUNTY SHERIFF'SOFFICE, IS SAYING NO ONE IS ATFAULT. THE VIDEO IS HARD TO WATCH.AN ALBUQUERQUE POLICE CARSLAMMING INTO AN SUV, WITH AWOMAN DRIVING HER YOUNG KIDS.rtIN THIS SURVEILLANCE VIDEO, YOUCAN SEE THE JEEP MAKING A LEFTTURN ONTO INDIAN SCHOOL.THE POLICE CAR, TRAVELING ONEUBANK, HITS THE SIDE OF THErtSUV.IT SPINS, THEN HITS A LIGHT POLEON THE CORNER.COURT DOCUMENTS SAY OFFICERJEFFRY MCDONNELL WAS RESPONDINGTO A CALL ABOUT A MANTHREATENINrtG AN ALBERTSON'SEMPLOYEE WITH A MACHETE.POLICE SAY IT'S TYPICAL FOROFFICERS TO DRIVE WITH A SENSEOF URGENCY WHEN RESPONDING TO ACALL OF THAT NATURE.YOU CAN rtSEE HOW FAST HE WASDRIVING ON THIS SURVEILLANVIDEO.THE COURT DOCUMENTS SAY OFFICERMCDONNELL WAS DRIVING ABOUT 80MILES PER HOURrt 5 SECONDS BEFOREHITTING THE SUV.HE HIT HIS BRAKES, AND HIT THEJEEP AT 67 MILES PER HOUR.THE SIX-YEAR-OLD BOY DIED FROMHIS INJURIES.HIS 9-YEAR-OLD SISrtTER AND MOTHERSURVIVED THE CRASH, BUT HADSEVERAL INJURIES.THE COURT DOCUMENTS SAY OFFICERMCDONNELL HAD SEVERAL BROKENBONES, BUT SURVIVED AS WELL.rtAN OFFICER SPOKE WITH A WOMANWHO SAYS SHE RAN UP TO THEVEHICLES RIGHT AFTER THE CRASHTO HELP.SHE SAYS SHE SAW OFFICERMCDONNELL ON THE GROUND NEXT TOrtHIS POLICE CAR.>> SAW THAT HE WAS OK, HE SAIDHIS LEG WAS BROKEN, HIS FACrtE WASBLEEDING FROM HIS NOSE.JUSTIN: SHE SAYS SHE HELPED THEOFFICER, THEN SHE SAYS THE KIDS WERE TRAPPEDIN THE BACKSEAT.>>rt MOM WAS STILL IN THE FRONTSEAT, CRYING, TELLING US TO GETHER KIDS OUT.JUSTIN: COURT RECORDS SAY THEWOMAN DRIVING THE JEEP TOLDrtINVESTIGATORS SHE DIDN'T SEE ORHEAR SIRENS, SO SHE CONTINUED TOMAKE THE TURN.INVESTIGATORS SAY OFFICERMCDONNELL DID HAVE HIS LIGHTSAND SIRENS ON.rtBOTH HAD GREEN LIGHTS.EVEN THOUGH THE INVESTIGATINGDEPUTY FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICESAYS NEITHER THE OFFICER NOR THEWOMAN DRIVING THE CHEAP SHOULDrt-- THE JEEP SHOULD FACE CHARGES,THIS CASE IS NOW IN THE HANDS OFTHE DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR
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Officer hits SUV with children inside at 67 m.p.h., investigators say

The impact killed a six-year-old boy inside the SUV
Justin Matthews
Reporter
Albuquerque Police Officer Jeffry McDonnell hit a Ford Escape at 67 miles-per-hour on Eubank Blvd. NE on April 17, 2017, according to investigators at the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office.The impact killed a six-year-old boy, police say. A nine-year-old girl and her mother who was driving the Ford were were injured. Officer McDonnell was also taken to the hospital and was treated for multiple broken bones, according to court documents.At the time of the crash, Officer McDonnell was responding to a priority one call about a man threatening an employee at a nearby Albertsons, court records say.Police say it is routine for officers to drive with a heightened sense of urgency when responding to calls of that nature.Investigators say the officer had his lights and sirens on, but the woman driving the Ford, told investigators she didn't hear or see them. Investigators concluded charges are not warranted for Officer McDonnell nor the woman driving the Ford. The officer is authorized to drive at a high rate of speed in an emergency response, according to the BCSO investigator. Despite the high rate of speed, witnesses didn't indicate to police that Officer McDonnell was driving recklessly and was not under the influence, according to court documents.Both the officer and the woman driving the Ford had green lights, court records say.This case is now in the hands of the District Attorney's Office.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —

Albuquerque Police Officer Jeffry McDonnell hit a Ford Escape at 67 miles-per-hour on Eubank Blvd. NE on April 17, 2017, according to investigators at the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office.

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The impact killed a six-year-old boy, police say. A nine-year-old girl and her mother who was driving the Ford were were injured.

Officer McDonnell was also taken to the hospital and was treated for multiple broken bones, according to court documents.

At the time of the crash, Officer McDonnell was responding to a priority one call about a man threatening an employee at a nearby Albertsons, court records say.

Police say it is routine for officers to drive with a heightened sense of urgency when responding to calls of that nature.

Investigators say the officer had his lights and sirens on, but the woman driving the Ford, told investigators she didn't hear or see them.

Investigators concluded charges are not warranted for Officer McDonnell nor the woman driving the Ford.

The officer is authorized to drive at a high rate of speed in an emergency response, according to the BCSO investigator. Despite the high rate of speed, witnesses didn't indicate to police that Officer McDonnell was driving recklessly and was not under the influence, according to court documents.

Both the officer and the woman driving the Ford had green lights, court records say.

This case is now in the hands of the District Attorney's Office.