2 Early Year Traffic Stop Accidents Injure Deputy And Trooper

Not more than a month into the new year, the Oklahoma City metro has already been witness to two crashes involving law enforcement officers performing traffic stops.

In the first incident on January 5, a Canadian County Deputy was struck during a traffic stop near Interstate 40 and Garth Brooks Boulevard. The deputy, Jose Mendoza, and everyone else involved in the crash survived but were each suffering varying levels of injury.

The driver of the vehicle who was pulled over during the initial traffic stop, which Deputy Mendoza appeared to prepare to only issue a warning before being struck by the vehicle, is the son of Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat.

Treat's son, according to a new statement, spent 20 days in the hospital and was released on Wednesday. "While the healing process will take time, he has recovered remarkably well for the type of life-threatening accident he was in," Treat said. "We appreciate all of the support and prayers, and especially the expert care from first responders, and the medical facilities he was at."

According to the Canadian County Sheriff's Office, Deputy Mendoza is now recovering in a long-term rehabilitation facility. The condition of the driver responsible is unknown, and the investigation is ongoing.

Less than two weeks later and down Interstate 40 near Cimmaron Road, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper was struck by a vehicle in almost identical circumstances.

Trooper Jesse Gregory was treated and released at the hospital on the same day, and the other two drivers involved in the crash survived. The investigation is also ongoing, but Trooper Gregory said he considers himself lucky. "I couldn't believe it happened to me, but I was thankful to walk away from it," Gregory said. "And after watching the video, I don't even remember barrel rolling to my feet."

Gregory also mentioned an even stranger connection between the two incidents. "Deputy Jose Mendoza is a really good friend of mine, and he's our neighbor," Gregory said. "He was struck in the same situation. I was less than a mile from him and I was first on scene and called for help for him."

In the newly released video from the Canadian County Sheriff's Office, Trooper Gregory can be seen rushing to Deputy Mendoza's side and asking his "brother" if he was ok.

But, he didn't know at the time he would find himself in the same situation two weeks later. "This is our worst fear when we're on the side of the road," he said. "And we're mostly killed by distracted drivers and being hit on the side of the road. So, when something like this happens to two law enforcement officers within the same month that two of us were struck, in the same county within, I would say two to three miles of each other is pretty crazy."

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is reminding drivers to be attentive at all times and to move over and slow down for emergency vehicles of all kinds.

A GoFundMe has been started to help Deputy Mendoza in his recovery.