Suspect Charged In Crash That Injured 2 Houston Police Officers

HOUSTON, TX — A man who crashed head-on into a Houston Police cruiser on Christmas Eve and severely injured two police officers has been charged with two counts of failing to stop and render aid, and two counts of intoxication assault with serious bodily injury on a police officer.

Cesar Collazo, 23, is being held in the Harris C0unty Jail without bond and is considered a flight risk.

Collazo is accused in the crash that required the hospitalization of HPD Officers J. Daily and A. Reid. Officer Reid was treated and released on Tuesday (Dec. 25). Officer Daily remains hospitalized in stable condition.

Officials said HPD Officers John Daily and Alonzo Reid, who are assigned to the Southeast Patrol Division, were responding to an "assist the officer" call and were traveling northbound in the 10100 block of Telephone Road with lights and sirens activated in a marked patrol vehicle, a black Chevrolet Tahoe.

Officials said Collazo was driving a tan Lincoln Navigator southbound on Telephone Road when he failed to yield the right of way to an emergency vehicle and made a left turn into an apartment complex lot.

Investigators said the HPD patrol vehicle struck the Navigator and rolled over onto a parked brown GMC Acadia. The Tahoe then caught fire with Officers Daily and Reid trapped inside.

A Good Samaritan pulled Reid from the fiery wreckage, and also helped Reid pull Daily from the patrol SUV.

Both received major injuries (burns) and were transported to Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital prior to being transferred to Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center.

Collazo fled the scene on foot but was arrested without incident a short time later.

Reid was treated for his injuries and released on Christmas Day. Daily remains hospitalized with burns to more than 50 percent of his body.

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Image: HPD

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