According to officials at the Brown County Sheriff’s office, shortly after 3:00 am Thursday morning, Patrol Deputy John Fincher was in a major accident. As he was responding to a call of livestock on the highway, his patrol car struck a horse on FM 3100.
Sheriff Bobby Grubbs reports that an oncoming car flashed his lights to warn Fincher of the horse, but it was too late. Grubbs said that a malfunction of the airbag, which did not deploy, was a contributing factor in the officer surviving the accident.
Sheriff Grubbs said that the impact resulted in Fincher’s upper body moving to the side and down into the dash area. If the airbag had deployed, he would have been forced back upright, which would have been where the horse crushed the window and top of the car, and where his head could have been if sitting upright.
“This could very easily have been a fatality accident,” said Grubbs. “I’m staggered to the fact he doesn’t have more injuries than he does.” Grubbs mentioned that Fincher not having a head injury was amazing, given the damage the car sustained.
Fincher was treated at the Brownwood Regional Medical Center for facial cuts and a shoulder injury, and then later released. Other than being banged up a little, he is reported to be “ok” according to officials of the BCSO.
“It’s amazing as many calls to livestock out on the road that we get, that given the law of averages, we don’t have more accidents,” said Sgt. Jimmy Simpson.
The patrol unit, a Dodge Charger Police Package, which fully equipped is valued at approximately $39,000 appears to be totaled. BCSO reports that DPS Troopers are conducting the investigation of the accident.
Several pictures of the patrol car are featured below.
