Texas DPS Trooper Shot In Head Is Fighting For Life

Edinburgh, TX – A Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) state trooper was shot while responding to a car crash on Saturday night.

Officials said that 48-year-old Trooper Moises Sanchez responded to a traffic collision at North 10th Street and Freddy Gonzalez Drive in McAllen just before 9 p.m. on April 6, The Monitor reported.

The driver of one of the vehicles, 24-year-old Victor Alejandro Godinez, fled the scene on foot after the crash.

The trooper caught up with him in the 1500-block of South Maltese and that’s when Godinez opened fire, striking Trooper Sanchez in the head, according to KIII.

He also shot at two Edinburgh police officers before he was apprehended shortly after 12:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Trooper Sanchez was transported to Doctors Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.

Edinburg Police Chief Cesar Torres said the trooper remained in critical-but-stable condition on Monday morning, The Monitor reported.

Neither of the other two officers at whom Godinez shot at were injured.

Godinez was also wounded at some point during the melee but Chief Torres said at the press conference that it was unclear whether he was shot by the trooper or the Edinburgh officers, The Monitor reported.

The suspect was charged with three counts of attempted capital murder of a peace officer, which is a first-degree felony and each count carries a sentence of up to life in prison.

Godinez was placed in the Hildalgo County jail where he remained in lieu of a $3 million bond.

Court records showed that Godinez had only one prior run-in with police, when he left the scene of another car crash in October of 2018, The Monitor reported.

He was due to appear in court for that misdemeanor on May 2.

DPS Lieutenant Johnny Hernandez said those who wanted to make a donation to help Trooper Sanchez’s family with expenses can do so by sending a check or money order made payable to “FBO Moises Sanchez” to Account No. 1371855 at Texas Regional Bank or via PayPal at the email address Usmarines70@att.net.

A prayer vigil for Trooper Sanchez was scheduled for Tuesday evening at the Edinburgh Conference Center, KVEO reported.