Texas cop forced to jump off bridge

A policeman in Texas has been forced to jump off a bridge to avoid an alleged drunk driver who ploughed into his squad car.

Missouri City police officer Kenneth Lewis is recovering in hospital after he plunged nearly ten metres from an overpass on Friday night, Click2Houston.com reports.

Dashcam footage shows officer Lewis conducting a routine traffic stop on State Highway 6 on Friday night when a car slams into his patrol car, pushing it into the vehicle already stopped and forcing Lewis over the edge and onto rocks below.

The father-of-three was airlifted to Texas Medical Centre where he is in a stable condition following surgery to repair a torn aorta, and is expected to remain there for another two weeks due to a fractured pelvis.

Police say the driver of the car that caused the crash is 46-year-old primary school PE teacher Christie Diane Biggers, who they say was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.

She has been charged with intoxicated assault.

Biggers' attorney Rocket Rosen told KHOU his client was "devastated" over the incident.

"She wants to make sure that Officer Lewis and the family accept her deepest apologies," Mr Rosen was quoted as saying.

Officer Lewis's partner was not injured.

Source: Click2Houston.com, KHOU

Author: Jack Hawke, Approving editor: Nicholas Pearson