An off-duty St. Louis police officer, Chris Murray, faces charges after a collision with a scooter driver that resulted in serious injuries, including the loss of the driver’s leg. Murray is charged with DWI causing serious physical injury and second-degree assault. The crash happened near Morgan Ford Road and Carondelet Boulevard, as reported by FOX 2 Now. The victim, Gabriel Rodriguez, is 49 years old and works as a machinist.
Just after midnight on October 1, Murray, driving a southbound Ford F-150, hit Rodriguez, who was riding a northbound scooter. Blood tests showed Murray’s blood alcohol level was .096%, above the legal limit. Rodriguez was seriously injured and had surgery that led to the amputation of his leg below the knee, according to St. Louis Today.
Murray, a law enforcement officer, is facing charges after a crash. Destiny Klimaszewski, a campaigner against drunk driving, said, “In terms of somebody that is supposed to enforce the laws, it's hard to give them grace and understanding because they have seen at firsthand, what can happen when you drink and drive." The Missouri Department of Revenue started the process of revoking Murray's license for initially refusing a breathalyzer, though he challenged this, and a blood test later confirmed he was intoxicated. His attorney, Travis Noble, requested a bond reduction, saying, "My understanding in this case he cooperated with police and we’ll see where the facts bear out." Murray, with over 18 years in the police department, is now facing judicial proceedings. Rodriguez’s family said, "This tragedy has left us extremely devastated and only hope that this type of horrific incident doesn’t happen to anyone else,” as mentioned by KSDK.
