A 32-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department died early Saturday after he was hit by a suspected drunken driver during a funeral escort, authorities said.
Senior Cpl. Earl "Jamie" Givens died early Saturday while he and other officers were escorting the body of Senior Cpl. Tyrone Andrews from Laurel Land Funeral Home to East Texas, police said. Andrews died of cancer, The Dallas Morning News reported.
Givens was stopped Saturday morning with his motorcycle’s emergency lights on when he was struck by a fast-moving Kia Sportage, authorities said. Givens, who was assigned to DPD’s traffic unit in 2012, was blocking traffic to an Interstate 20 on-ramp when he was hit, according to police.
Givens’ fellow officers rendered aid to him before the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department arrived at the scene. However, police said, he was pronounced dead after he was taken to the Baylor University Medical Center.
The driver of the Kia Sportage, whose name was not released, struck a concrete divider and stopped, according to officials. The 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
Authorities continue to investigate the incident.
Dallas police Chief Renee Hall asked for the public’s prayers Saturday during a news conference.
“Keep the Givens family in your prayers,” she said. “Keep the Dallas Police Department in your prayers. Keep the city of Dallas in your prayers.”
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