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Close Call For Forest Hill Officers Leads To Drunk Driving Arrest

FOREST HILL (CBSDFW.COM)  - A man later arrested for drunk driving smashed into a Forest Hill police car Thursday, narrowly missing officers who were out helping a stranded motorist.

It happened Thursday night on Southeast Loop 820 near Anglin Drive as officers responded to a vehicle that had become disabled on the freeway.

Please Don't Drink and Drive!

A couple of Forest Hill Police Officers and citizens had a close call Thursday night. The officers had responded to a vehicle that was disabled in a lane of traffic in the 5100 block of SE Loop 820. They had pushed the vehicle to the shoulder and were awaiting the arrival of a wrecker, when another vehicle drove around their patrol cars, narrowly missing the officers and citizens on the shoulder. The vehicle did seriously damage one of the patrol cars on the scene. The driver of the vehicle was arrested at the scene for Driving While Intoxicated. Please don't drink and drive, folks. People's lives depend on it.

Posted by Forest Hill Police Department on Sunday, November 19, 2017

"They had pushed the vehicle to the shoulder and were awaiting the arrival of a wrecker, when another vehicle drove around their patrol cars, narrowly missing the officers and citizens on the shoulder," Forest Hill police said on their Facebook page. "The vehicle did seriously damage one of the patrol cars on the scene."

Forest Hill Police Close Call
Source: Forest Hill Police

Captain Jerry Cozby said the driver missed hitting two people and three officers by inches.

"The suspect cut between one of the parked squad cars and the disabled vehicle and they were able to get out of the way," said Cozby.

Cozby said he's almost been hit several times on the job.

"It's terrifying. When you think your life could end... it's very scary to think about," said Cozby.

The driver of the vehicle, 26-year-old Cedric Keith Henson Jr., was arrested at the scene on a charge of driving while intoxicated and was taken to jail.

Forest Hills Police Close Call
Suspect Cedric Keith Henson Jr. (Source: Forest Hills Police)

Police said no one was hurt.

"Our department and the citizens with us that night were very fortunate that this didn't turn out tragically for them and the only damage done was to two vehicles," said Cozby.

There was no estimate Sunday on damage to the vehicles that were hit.

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