Southlake police officer nearly hit by car while working traffic stop

SOUTHLAKE, Texas - A Southlake police officer is counting his blessings after a close call during a traffic stop.

Officer Albert Hernandez was off his motorcycle while working the stop Tuesday morning when another car being pulled over came within feet of hitting him.

The car was pulling over in response to a traffic stop, but they didn't see another officer was already on the shoulder with his emergency lights on. A catastrophic crash was avoided in a split second.

Dashcam video from a second motorcycle officer shows the second traffic stop. The car he's pulling over nearly hit Officer Hernandez, who is already on the side of the road doing his own traffic stop. The video shows just how close the car comes to hitting Hernandez.

“I wouldn't have been able to do anything,” Hernandez said. “Jump out of the way or anything would have been a direct impact."

The almost-accident happened on a westbound stretch of Highway 114 between Carroll Street and White Chapel Boulevard. Police stepped up enforcement after speeding complaints and crash reports.

Southlake Police Chief James Brandon says motorcycle officers have one of the most dangerous jobs in police work.

“The driver of the vehicle pulling over didn't see the lights of the first motorcycle,” Brandon said. “And there was a truck in front of that driver that didn't obey the move-over law and somewhat blocked her view from Officer Hernandez."

Hernandez says he never saw the car coming until it zoomed by him about six to eight feet away. A few seconds more and he says he would have been in certain danger if it wasn’t for his training.

"When we initiate contacts on the highway, we use the passenger door,” he explained. “Clearly, if I had been on the driver’s side, she would have hit me without a doubt."

Hernandez says his family has seen the video with him and everyone exhaled with a sigh of relief.

“Just be thankful for every day,” he said. “Count my blessings."

Hernandez says his concern was for the other motorcycle officer who had other cars behind him as he tried to get safely to the shoulder of the road.