HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Quick thinking by a Harris County Sheriff's Office deputy may have saved lives Friday night.
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the deputy who he identified as Deputy Howard saw a vehicle driving the wrong way on the Sam Houston Tollway and made the decision to put his patrol car in between the vehicle and oncoming traffic.
The deputy was not seriously injured when the wrong-way driver crashed into him but was taken to a clinic as a precaution.
The driver was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to be charged with intoxication assault against a peace officer, Gonzalez said.
According to the sheriff, the driver has two prior convictions for driving while intoxicated.
"We commend Deputy Howard for his courageous assumption of imminent harm in defense of the citizens of Harris County," Gonzalez said in a tweet.
