Reserve Deputy Michell Gipson is now at Memorial Hospital. He has a broken arm, but witnesses say he's lucky to be alive.
Passers-by gasped from inside their cars as they drove by the scene. A mangled police motorcycle and personal items scattered on the road.
Officials say Deputy Gipson was escorting traffic during a funeral procession when the driver of a silver Cadillac swerved into his lane.
"A young man driving tried to avoid hitting another car in front of him and when he did, he swerved to the right," said Office Orus Baldwin with the Houston Police Department.
That driver ended up hitting a black Expedition and the deputy. Eyewitnesses say the deputy flew off his motorcycle with such great force that even his wallet shot out of his pocket. He landed about 40 feet away.
"He was conscious at that time," said eyewitness Dennis Ware. "When I first got to him, he was not. I thought he was gone."
No one else was injured, but Deputy Gipson's injury serves as an important reminder for those who may already be distracted or distraught on the road.
"People who are in a funeral need to stay in line and be extra careful," said Officer Baldwin.
Deputy Gipson has been on the force 13 years. He works for Precinct 6, but this duty was an extra job he picked up on the side. He's been in at least two other accidents before.
There's no word yet on who's been cited in this accident. Houston police are investigating.
