CONROE, Texas – A Montgomery County deputy was killed and another deputy was hurt in a motorcycle crash in Conroe early Thursday.
Catherine Breeding, 21, was ejected from the Harley Davidson motorcycle and she died at the scene. She was off-duty at the time.
James Selsmer III, 26, was driving the bike and he was critically injured. Selsmer is a deputy with Montgomery County Precinct 1.
The accident happened around 3 a.m. at the intersection of South Loop 336 and I-45.
Conroe Police are trying to piece together what happened in a case that hits too close to home.
"Our hearts go out to our family members because they are our law enforcement family and so we think about that and we think about their family and friends," said Sgt. Dorcy Riddle with the Conroe Police Department.
The initial investigation suggests speed was definitely a factor.
"Probably at some point, due to their speed, they went airborne a little bit and when they came back down, lost control. I don't know if they were intending to turn or not," Sgt. Riddle said.
It did appear that the motorcycle was trying to stop for a long distance.
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office says that Breeding had only recently become a deputy and was assigned to Patrol in the area around The Woodlands. Before that, she had been a jailer and she studied at Lone Star College's criminal justice program.
Montgomery County Precinct One Constables officials said that Selmser has been a deputy there since October of 2013 and served on the Lake Patrol. He has an excellent service record.
Selmser is suffering from a broken arm and leg but is expected to recover.
It is standard for drug and alcohol testing to be done in any fatal accident and investigators say it is being done here too.
The District Attorney's office is also investigating and said that results of the full investigation are needed before there is any determination of charges.
