Police Officer Injured By Intoxicated Driver

Police Officer Injured By Intoxicated Driver

By David Howell

Editor

COFFEEVILLE – A Coffeeville police officer is in critical condition after he was struck by an intoxicated driver Saturday night while directing traffic at an automobile accident at the Coffeeville bypass intersection. Sheriff Lance Humphreys reported officer Milton Hervey, 65, was flown to the Regional Medical Hospital in Memphis where he remains in critical condition with a head injury.

Humphreys explained Hervey was among area law enforcement officers working a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Hwy. 330 and Hwy. 7 when he was struck by a vehicle driven by Clinton Dewayne Byford, also of Coffeeville.

“Our hearts and prayers go out to officer Hervey and his family,” Humphreys said about the incident, adding that Hervey is a long-time law enforcement officer with years of service, both to the Town of Coffeeville and the county. “He is a really good guy, a law enforcement officer that makes all of us younger guys working alongside him proud to wear the badge,” Humphreys said. 

According to deputy Thomas West, who was also assisting with the accident, Byford drove through the accident scene and failed to move over or change lanes when he approached the wrecker that was loading one of the damaged vehicles. Hervey was standing near the rear of the wrecker in the edge of the roadway when he was struck by Byford’s vehicle and thrown more than 20 feet.

“Deputies, a state trooper, the wrecker crew and even passers-by all rushed to help Hervey,” West reported. West also said both of the county’s ambulances were responding to other calls and he radioed dispatch to get a helicopter in route.

“We had a chopper on the ground within 17 minutes,” West said. 

Humphreys said Byford was ordered to remain in his vehicle until after the injured officer was treated and transported from the scene. 

“As soon as Byford was ordered to exit the truck, our guys suspected he was under the influence,” Humphreys explained.  The sheriff also said Byford consented to a search and was eager to reveal the contents of his pockets, but became hesitant when asked to remove his shoes.

“When deputy West reached for his sock, Byford pushed him and took off running,” stated Humphreys. The suspect was tased and multiple officers struggled to place handcuffs on him, eventually regaining control of the situation and placing Byford in the back of Constable Randy Simmons’ car.

Humphreys said that during the excitement Coffeeville officer Larry Tritt noticed Byford had tried to discard a plastic bag when he was fleeing from authorities. The bag was found after a quick search and contained apparent crystal meth. Also confiscated from Byford’s vehicle during the investigation were an open bottle of whiskey, a syringe and a small amount of marijuana.

Humphreys said Byford was transported to the county jail while deputies obtained a search warrant to take a blood sample. Byford was then transported to the hospital where a nurse took the samples. Byford faces a barrage of charges including resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to move over for a recovery vehicle and DUI injury. He remains in custody at the Yalobusha County jail.

Other arrests reported by the sheriff’s department in August includes:

•  Demarcus Hart – possession of drug paraphernalia on Aug. 2;  

• Dexter Baker – driving with suspended license, possession of marijuana in motor vehicle on Aug. 2;

• Leslie Phillips – open container, possession of a controlled substance and introduction contraband into correctional facility on Aug. 2;

• Rickey Watson – careless driving, no driver’s license, no insurance and possession of controlled substance on Aug. 2;

•  Jessica Langham – introduction of contraband into correctional facility on Aug. 2;

• Desmond Hervey –  improper passing, failure to stop, no driver’s license and possession of marijuana in motor vehicle on Aug. 3;

• William Beard Sr – careless driving, driving with a suspended license, and DUI on Aug. 7;

• Robert Reid – trespassing, disturbance of family and disorderly conduct on Aug. 8;

• Julie Austin – DUI on Aug. 10;

• Michael Croy – domestic violence on Aug. 11;

• John Parks- no seatbelt and driving with a suspended license on Aug. 12;

• Jerry Kazzee – possession of a schedule 2 controlled substance x3 on Aug. 12.

• Bradley Washington – possession of methamphetamine and DUI other on Aug. 13;

•  Madison Green – possession of marijuana, possession of a schedule 3 controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia on Aug. 14;

•  Preston Johnson – no seatbelt, no driver’s license on Aug. 14;

•  Billy Brooks – aiding and abetting on Aug. 14;

•  Broderick Rogers – domestic violence on Aug. 15;

• Holly Beasley – open container and possession of methamphetamine on Aug.19;

•  Mitchell Rosamond – no seatbelt, no driver’s license, no insurance, possession of methamphetamine and domestic violence on Aug.  19;

• Brandon Frederick – Department of Human Service lockup order on Aug. 18;

•  Jennifer McKee – possession of methamphetamine, failure to signal and driving with a suspended license on Aug, 19; and

•  David Trace Schmitz – possession of a controlled substance on Aug. 20.