CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Corpus Christi Police Department said a police officer was killed, and two other officers were injured during a traffic stop on SPID Friday night.
Today, during a press conference, the Corpus Christi Police Department said 46-year-old Officer Alan McCollum was one of the officers conducting a traffic stop on a vehicle that was racing in the westbound lane of State Hwy. 358 over the Carroll Lane overpass at approximately 9:43 p.m. on Friday night.
“At the traffic stop, three individual marked units had pulled over to assist this traffic stop. As the officers were out of their units in conduction of the traffic stop, a vehicle driven by 26 year-old Brandon Portillo struck the marked vehicles that were engaged in the traffic stop, striking Officer Michael Love and Officer Alan McCollum. Officer McCollum was transferred to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries,” said CCPD Chief of Police Mike Markle.
The vehicle that hit the officers was driven by Portillo, who was believed to have been intoxicated.
“After he was cleared from the hospital, he was transported to our citydetention center, where he was arrested, booked and charged with intoxication manslaughter, a first degree felony, intoxication assault, a 3rd degree felony, and driving with a suspended license,” said Markle.
Officer McCollum served with the Corpus Christi Police Department for seven years and was a twenty-one-year highly-decorated veteran of the United States Army.
Officer McCollum, who is survived by his wife and three children, was also a member of the Honor Guard and SWAT Team.
“We are going to go through this investigation methodically, we are going to do things right, and when we come to a logical conclusion as it pertains to this case and all the benefits and all the things we have to do to support this family,” said Markle.
Officer Michael Love, who was also injured in the accident, remains hospitalized and is in stable condition.
Every day officers across the country go to work not knowing what to expect and unfortunately they sometimes end up making the ultimate sacrifice.
