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K-9 Unit involved in Sansom Park DWI crash
A suspect has been charged with driving while intoxicated after a crash with a K-9 Unit on New Year's Eve in the Fort Worth suburb of Sansom Park.
SANSOM PARK, Texas - A man is charged with driving while intoxicated after police say his vehicle was involved in a crash with a K-9 Unit in the Fort Worth suburb of Sansom Park.
The crash happened just before midnight at the busy intersection of Jacksboro Highway and Skyline Drive in Sansom Park.
Video from another officer shows a police SUV with lights and sirens on going through the green light, when another car turns in front of the oncoming police unit.
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RAW: Crash involving Sansom Park K-9 Unit
A driver was charged with DWI after failing to yield in Sansom Park. The crash involved a K-9 Unit vehicle with a handler and K-9 inside.
"Speaking with the officer who witnessed it, he said, ‘Did I just see what I saw?’ but then our training and knowledge kicks in," said Tyler Downes, the public information officer for Sansom Park Police.
The Sansom Park K-9 officer and the officer who handles the animal were able to get out of the crashed unit. Both are okay.
"He was going to assist a neighboring agency so that’s why he was going lights and sirens," said Downes.
Three people were inside the car that appeared to make an illegal left turn in front of the oncoming K-9 Unit.
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Sansom Park K-9 Unit involved in New Year's Eve crash
A Sansom Park K-9 Officer and it's handler are said to be shaken up, but okay after a crash on New Year's Eve. Roger Saenz-Blandon has been charged with driving while intoxicated for his role in the crash.
Nobody was hurt in the crash.
Roger Saenz-Blandon was arrested, charged with driving while intoxicated and booked into the Tarrant County Jail.
Roger Saenz-Blandon (Source: Tarrant County Jail)
Since it was New Year's Eve the department had extra patrols.
"We had our K-9, two patrol officers, we had myself coming in and we had a supervisor. Normally, we only have about two or three officers on at a time, so last night we had about five," said Downes.
All units responded to the crash and additional units from police departments in River Oaks, Fort Worth and White Settlement came to help.
"Our chief came in and started answering calls for service. It got to a point where every resource we had was being used," said Downes.
He said from his personal experience, it's rare to go to this type of crash and that it could have been worse.
"If the timing was a little bit further, maybe they collided at a different angle, we are very thankful for the way and the outcome we had," Downes said.
Tarrant County New Year's Eve Crashes
The crash was one of dozens of motor vehicle accidents across Tarrant County on New Year's Eve.
"We responded to 596 calls in that 30-hour period, that’s about 20 calls an hour," said Matt Zavadsky, a spokesman for MedStar.
MedStar emergency responders reported a near 20-percent increase in its overall call volume compared to a typical Sunday.
MedStar Tarrant County Response - New Year's Eve
- 46 motor vehicle crashes
- 7 rollovers
- 1 auto/pedestrian
Zavadsky says, unfortunately, the inflated number of calls is what they're accustomed to on the average New Year's Eve.
"Typically with the timing of the crashes we saw, we saw a very high spike in motor vehicle crashes, right after New Year’s Eve going into New Year’s Day," he said. "That is likely a combination of people that might have some impairment while they’re driving, but also people who might not normally stay out after midnight who are driving home and just tired."