Category Archives: Traffic Safety Division

Delta District, Traffic Safety Division

Traffic Accident Hit & Run Pedestrian

2.1.12/9:42 a.m.   Traffic Accident Hit & Run Pedestrian   700 Park Avenue   C1200738

Traffic investigators received a call for a major traffic accident involving a pedestrian in the 700 block of Park Avenue shortly before 10:00 am. When they arrived they located a 59-year-old male victim lying on the roadway with critical injuries from having been struck by a vehicle. He was transported to Spohn Memorial Hospital in critical condition.

Witnesses tell investigators that a red truck was traveling east on the 700 block of Park Avenue when the victim ran out into the street not in a cross walk and was struck by the truck.

Officers located and impounded a red truck on Laredo Street.  Further investigation revealed it was not involved in the accident.

The Traffic Division will continue their investigation in an attempt to locate both the driver and suspect vehicle.  Witnesses describe the suspect vehicle as a red 1980″s GMC or Chevrolet pick-up truck with minor front end damage.  At this time there is no description available on the driver.

Anyone having any information regarding this crime is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS or the Corpus Christi Police Department Hit & Run Division at 361-886-2596.

Bravo District, Traffic Safety Division

Intoxication Assault Arrest

Occurred 1/19/12 at 4:35 PM      Warrant for Intoxication Assault      1201190093

On September 22, 2011, at 11:17 PM, Officer responded to a head on collision at the intersection of Rodd Field Road and Yorktown Blvd (C1106840).  Richard Williams 6.5.76, who was driving a 2005 Toyota Tundra had driven into the oncoming lane of traffic and struck a 2002 GMC Pickup.  Both Williams and the driver of the other vehicle were injured and Williams appeared intoxicated.  Although Williams was not arrested due to his injuries, Officers initiated an Intoxication Assault investigation (1109220172).  Williams’s blood was tested and the results of that test indicated that he was indeed intoxicated at the time of the crash.  After receiving the blood results, Officers with the Traffic Division obtained a warrant for Williams arrest for Intoxication Assault.  This charge is a 3rd Degree Felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. 

On 1/19/12, Officers were able to locate and arrest Williams in the 6200 Block of Saratoga Blvd.

Delta District, Traffic Safety Division

Traffic Fatality

Traffic Fatality           1200 SH 286 N/B               3:10 a.m.                 C1200387

A single vehicle traffic accident occurred overnight on the Crosstown Freeway.  The truck, a 2005 Ford Ranger, was being driven by a 27-year-old man.  Investigators believe that the man failed to negotiate a curve on the highway near the area of the Morgan Rd on ramp to SH 286 north.  The truck left the highway and flipped several times in the grassy median between the highway and access road.  The driver, who was the only person in the truck, was thrown from the truck.  Investigators do not believe he was wearing his seat belt.

The man was transported to Spohn Memorial Hospital where he later expired.

Charlie District, Traffic Safety Division

Motorcycle Accident

January 18, 2012     4:30 PM     4600 S. Padre Isl. Dr     C1200374

A 21 year old man suffered injury after wrecking the motorcycle he was driving.  Witnesses reported that he was traveling on the highway between Weber and Everhart when he attempted to pass traffic in what they believed was an attempt to exit on the Everhart exit.

The motorcyclist lost control of the motorcycle, flipping it across the median between the highway and onto the access road, where both he and the motorcycle came to rest.

The man was transported to Spohn Memorial Hospital with serious injuries.

Traffic Safety Division

Major Traffic Accident – Motorcycle

1.7.2012/11:52am   15200 PR 22   Major Traffic Accident   C1200135

Units responded to a major traffic accident at 15200 Park Road 22 on Saturday shortly before noon. When they arrived they learned that a 16-year old female driver was attempting to exit a private drive. As traffic on Park Road 22 was stopped for a red light the 16-year old driver made her way across three lanes of traffic in between vehicles and proceeded into the fourth lane, at which time she did not notice that a motorcyclist was traveling east bound in that lane. The motorcyclist struck the side of the 16-year old drivers vehicle and was transported to Bay Area Hospital with critical injuries.

The female driver was citied for Failing to Yield the Right of Way from a Private Drive.

 

Charlie District, Traffic Safety Division

Fatal Accident

11.28.2011/7:55pm   Major Accident/Fatality   Staples/Doddridge   C1108585/1111280161

The vehicle Luis Ramos 8-13-80 was operating left the roadway struck and fatally injured, a 47-year-old male pedestrian, that was sitting on the bus bench at the corner of Staples and Doddridge. The vehicle continued into the parking lot of Walgreen’s were it struck two unoccupied vehicles and came to a stop.

Ramos did not appear to suffer any injuries from the accident. He was arrested for Driving while License Suspended.

Adam District, Criminal Investigations Division, Traffic Safety Division

Argument Turns to Fatality Accident

10.21.2011/12:55am    100 Jasper    Fatality Traffic Accident     C1107608

Officers responded to 100 Jasper for a pedestrian accident in the Gateway Mobile Home Park.

Upon arrival they found the victim, a 39 year old male, in the roadway with fatal injuries. Medics found life signs and transported him to Spohn Memorial.  Officers also contacted the driver, a 37 year old female. She advised that after an argument with the victim (an acquaintance of hers), the victim was attempting to gain entry to her vehicle to assault her. She drove away while the victim was holding onto her mini van and he was drug under the vehicle. The victim was later pronounced at the hospital.

Both Traffic follow-up and Criminal Investigation Division Detectives responded to the scene. Crime Scene investigators also responded to process and photograph. The case is still under investigation.

Traffic Safety Division

85 Drivers Cited for Speeding

10.13.2011    Traffic Section Officers Perform Speed Enforcement

On 10.13.2011, the Traffic Section, along with southside officers, worked to enforce the speed limit on SH358 (routinely called S.P.I.D) at SH286 (Crosstown).

During the two-hour time frame from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm, a total of 85 citations for speeding were issued for vehicles traveling significantly over the speed limit. A total of twelve officers took part in the event and the highest speed recorded was 83 mph in the 60 mph zone.

The Traffic Section will be working with officers on the North side of town the week of October 17-21 for the same type of event looking for speeders on the state highway system.

Charlie District, Traffic Safety Division

Major Accident Involving a Pedestrian

10.13.2011/7:36pm   3200 McArdle   Accident involving a Pedestrian   C1107407

Units responded to major accident involving a pedestrian. When they arrived the driver of the vehicle told Officers that he was driving West on McArdle when he struck the child, who happened to be in the roadway. The driver of the vehicle told Officers that he never saw the child.

According to the child’s guardian, the three-year old was playing in the back yard and managed to exit the yard through a hole in the fence. He then attempted to cross the street and was struck by the vehicle.

The child was transported to Driscoll Children’s Hospital by his guardian to be treated for minor injuries.

The driver of the vehicle was not cited.

Traffic Safety Division

City Begins Rollout of New Parking Meter Rates

On Thursday October 13th, the Parking Control division of CCPD will begin the rollout of the new parking rates approved by City Council in August of this year. The new rates will range from 25¢ to 75¢ per hour, still far below the state average of $1.25 per hour and unlike most cities in Texas and nationwide meters will still only operate Monday through Friday, 8 AM until 6 PM. In fact, most cities nationwide have extended their collection days through Saturdays and evenings.

The rollout will be phased in over a 2 month period. In the first phase existing electronic meters will be increased to 25¢ and 50¢ across the city, from the current 10¢ to 25¢. As the 300 new credit card meters and 200 additional electronic meters come into inventory, most of the older mechanical meters that are 25 to 50 years old will be phased out. Once all the new meters are in place Phase II will see the 300 credit card meters raised to 75¢. These changes will see the end of one hour meter zones and reduction of time frames to just three standardized time frames of two, four or ten hours.

Unlike most cities, Corpus Christi has been able to make these changes utilizing current city staff. Most cities utilize parking consulting firms for design, layout, implementation and installation of new parking programs costing from $100,000 to $300,000 dollars. Vendors will typically charge $25 per meter to install credit card meters and as much as $18,300 for software and training on electronic meters. Following the mandate of Chief Troy Riggs to be better stewards of our city revenues, the Parking Control division was able to negotiate huge savings to the city during this rollout.

Doing our own design, layout, implementation and installation in-house saved over $100,000 in consulting fees. Using refurbished housings, utilizing web-based training and bundling equipment, which reduced software cost, saved the city an additional $50,000 in up-front money. With these savings the upgraded equipment should pay for itself in less than one year.

The most important aspect of this program is the profit-sharing aspect for downtown revitalization. Most successful cities nationwide turn a significant portion of the profits from parking meter revenue back into downtown revitalization. Texas cities like San Antonio, Austin, Galveston and Houston put the profits back into the community by adding trees, planters, benches, cleaning sidewalks and installing decorative lighting which also increases public safety, into their downtown areas. Each of these cities uses a different means of managing those revitalization dollars. Corpus Christi settled on using an advisory committee similar to Austin, Colorado Springs and Tucson. The committee is made up of a cross-section of representatives from uptown, downtown and Corpus Christi Beach businesses, as well as downtown residential representatives.

“The concept is to use community representatives to advise city council, with city staff as liaisons. In this manner we are able to use the many talents of our local citizens to participate in the look of our city center areas. These type programs have been successful in every city utilizing them and there is no reason to suspect that with the combined talent of our citizens and city staff we can’t accomplish the same success in Corpus Christi”, said Marc Denson, Parking Control Supervisor.