Ft. Bend Co. deputy dies following serious wreck

RICHMOND, TX Officers from across our area had been pulling together, even giving blood to show their support.

The crash happened on FM 762 and Benton on Monday, December 27.

Today was a day of grief at the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office. For the last week, everyone here hoped Deputy Norsworthy would pull through. But yesterday doctors determined that he had no brain activity. Life support was discontinued.

In Richmond, flags today are lowered at the sheriff's office, deputies are driving with headlights on and a memorial has grown at the very spot where Deputy Norsworthy lost control of his patrol car.

"He's a good cop. He's one of the best, if not the best," said Deputy Chris Carlson, who knew him for 30 years.

Deputy Norsworthy was critically injured December 27 when responding as a back up officer on a traffic stop. His vehicle flipped and hit a tree. Authorities say he'd tried to avoid a vehicle that failed to yield. Norsworthy had been a Fort Bend Co. Sheriff's deputy for two years. Before that he was a Rosenberg police officer.

"If I'm ever half the man, father, husband, police officer he is, that would be a great thing," said Dep. Carlson.

Norsworthy leaves behind a wife of 19 years, an 13-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son.

Investigators today showed us for the first time video taken from the patrol vehicle responding just ahead of Dep. Norsworthy the night of the wreck. That deputy actually saw Norsworthy crash in his rearview mirror. He turned around to help. Norsworthy's patrol vehicle was upside down.

Investigators are looking to speak to a man who who might have been an eyewitness to the wreck or maybe a woman who was also at the scene. They didn't get the name of either. Investigators are also looking for drivers who deputies passed on FM 762, especially a large dark-colored SUV. They say that driver may have been the one whose failure to yield led to Norsworthy's wreck.

A candlelight vigil will be held in honor of Deputy Norsworthy at the sheriff's office on Wednesday night.

A number of blood drives were organized last week in support of the injured deputy. You can find info on the blood drives here.

You can donate to the officer's family by clicking on the link here.