Sandy MaloneCorpus Christi, TX – Corpus Christi Police Officer Alan McCollum was killed by a suspected drunk driver while conducting a traffic stop near Kostoryz on Friday night.
The incident occurred at about 9:43 p.m. on Jan. 31 as three Corpus Christi police officers were conducting a traffic stop on South Padre Island Drive near the westbound Carroll Lane overpass, KRIS reported.
One officer stopped a vehicle that had been racing in the westbound lane of State Route 358, and then two additional officers in separate vehicles arrived to give him back up, according to KRIS.
Corpus Christi Police Public Information Lieutenant Michael Pena said that a vehicle driven by 26-year-old Brandon Portillo slammed into two of three officers on the scene.
Both injured officers were transported to the hospital, but 46-year-old Officer McCollum had sustained fatal injuries and succumbed to his wounds, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.
Lt. Pena identified the second officer who was hit as Officer Michael Love, KRIS reported.
The lieutenant told reporters that Officer Love was seriously hurt in the crash but was now in stable condition.
Police suspected that Portillo was under the influence and transported him to the hospital where officers obtained a warrant to have his blood drawn, Corpus Christi Police Chief Mike Markle told reporters at a press conference on Saturday afternoon.
Chief Markle said Portillo was arrested and booked into the Nueces County Detention Center facing charges of intoxication manslaughter, intoxication assault, and driving a suspended license.
Officer McCollum was a seven-year veteran of the Corpus Christi Police Department.
He is survived by his wife and three children, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.
The fallen hero also served 21 years in the U.S. Army, KIII reported.
Corpus Christi police said that while serving in the armed forces, Officer McCollum was awarded numerous decorations, medals, badges, citations, and campaign ribbons, including a Bronze Star.
He also earned a life-saving award after he joined the police department when he was one of nine officers on Jan. 1, 2019 who, at great personal risk, flipped over burning car to rescue a victim trapped inside, KIII reported.
Lt. Pena said that Officer McCollum was a valued member of the police department’s SWAT team and Honor Guard.
“Last night the Corpus Christi Police Department suffered the untimely passing of seven year veteran Officer Alan McCollum, age 46, who was killed after being struck by a vehicle while on a traffic stop. We mourn the loss of a great co-worker, friend, husband and father,” the Corpus Christi Police Officers Association tweeted.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Corpus Christi Police Officer Alan McCollum, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.
Officer Alan McCollum, your life mattered.