Two Harris County Sheriff’s deputies were injured and the man they were taking to jail was killed when they were hit head-on by a wrong-way driver in west Harris County.
Investigators believe that wrong-way driver, who has been identified as 39-year-old Patrick Njogu, was drunk.
Authorities say the deputies were going eastbound on the Westpark Tollway at Synott around 11:30 p.m. Sunday when Njogu slammed his Lexus into their patrol vehicle.
The prisoner in the backseat of the patrol unit was pulled over earlier in the night for allegedly being impaired and was being taken to jail. Officials say he had on a seat belt, but died from his injuries on the way to the hospital.
The deputies were transported to Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital.
Their conditions have not been released, but we are told they’re expected to survive.
Njogu was also taken to the hospital with a broken leg.
Sean Teare with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office says Njogu has at least two prior DUI convictions in Illinois and Missouri.
“It’s 11:30 at night. These officers are doing their job, protecting us from other people, putting their lives on the line. This is not okay,” Teare said. “This individual… wasn’t like a wrong turn. Heard he was going the wrong way for quite a while before he hit these three people.”
Njogu faces a felony murder charge.
Authorities say more charges could be coming, including intoxication assault of a peace officer.
Right now, Njogu faces five to 99 years in prison.
