PORTER, Texas (FOX 26) - An 11-year-old boy was killed, an officer was pronounced dead at a hospital and five other people were taken to hospitals in serious condition after a Chevrolet Suburban crashed into the driver's side of a Patton Village Police Department patrol car in the Porter area.
Patton Village Sergeant Stacey Baumgartner had arrived at around 5 p.m. Sunday to a convenience store on State Highway 242 near U.S. Highway 59 in response to reports of a man urinating on the sidewalk and exposing himself to customers. As the officer drove up to the store, police say that man, who was behind the wheel of a Scion, tried to strike Sgt. Baumgartner with the vehicle.
Sgt. Baumgartner followed the man westbound on SH 242 until the man in the Scion drove past a red traffic light on FM 1485. At that intersection, the Suburban crashed into the patrol car. New Caney and Caney Creek volunteer firefighters carefully removed Sgt. Baumgartner from the patrol car and he was taken to Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital where he died.
Five other people were taken in serious condition to Conroe Regional Medical Center and Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital.
Police say the man in the Scion had seen the crash in his rearview mirror and turned the car around. He was arrested and placed in a Roman Forest Police Department patrol car. He kicked out the rear window and tried to escape custody. He was taken to Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital where his blood was drawn. Charges are pending against that driver, later identified as Garrett William Nee.
A procession of officers escorted the body of Baumgartner from Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital to the Montgomery County Forensic Services center.
The 100 Club, a 63 year old Houston based non-profit organization, which supports the dependents of Firefighters and Law Enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, announces its assistance for the dependent family of Patton Village Sgt. Stacey Baumgartner who was tragically killed in the line of duty, this past Sunday evening, June 19, 2016 while chasing a suspect in Northeast Montgomery County.
Sgt. Baumgartner, who served with the Patton Village Police Department for eight years, is survived by his wife, Donna, a young daughter and an adult son. The 100 Club will present a $20,000 check to Mrs. Baumgartner to help with any immediate financial needs. Additional financial support for the Baumgartner family will be provided after an assessment of its needs is conducted.