The wreck was so serious that the on-duty Clute police officer behind the wheel is lucky to be alive after he was ejected from his squad car. It all started when he lost control, skidded across three lanes of traffic and slammed into a guardrail.
Captain Robin Carlton Clute Police Department said, "He had a broken pelvis, front and back, broke both ankles, had a collapsed lung, contusion to his chest, some bleeding on the brain."
What's more, Captain Carlton believes the driver -- Clute Police Patrol Officer Scott Morton -- has no one to blame but himself.
"Horseplay. That's the only way I can describe it," said Captain Carlton. "I mean, they were out there playing around, at least one of them was, anyway."
It was just before 3am. Morton and another patrol officer had wrapped up a call and were headed to Whataburger on Highway 332 for a bite to eat. The posted speed limit is 50mph. According to the accident report, Morton was driving at least 70mph. The dash cam in Officer Tony Standley's cruiser captured the end result.
Captain Robin Carlton said, "It's not acceptable (behavior)."
While police, who describe Morton as a good, hard-working officer, have launched an investigation, they have yet to talk to him at length. We tried today. Morton, who spoke us to us from his wheelchair, told us he's working on a response.
Officer Morton said, "Everything that was in the Brazosport Facts is not true."
He told us didn't want to say much more than to dispute the versions of events that have already been written, because he's afraid he might lose his job. Police say they plan to sort it all out once Officer Morton makes a full recovery from his injuries, perhaps a month from now.
