An Upton County Sheriff’s Deputy has died in a head-on collision with an 18-wheel semi truck on Friday.
According to an on-line article published by The Odessa American, Deputy Sheriff Michael Smith, 44, was pronounced dead at the scene after the crash which happened at about 8:30 a.m. crash on Texas 349. According to the newspaper, the semi, owned by J&S Electric, drifted across the center line and hit Smith’s cruiser. Smith was responding to an oil tank battery fire.
The driver of the truck was taken to Midland Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. His name had not been released, according to the newspaper article.
According to Officer Down Memorial Page, Smith had served with the Upton County Sheriff’s Department for the past two years and was married with three sons and a daughter.
The accident remains under investigation and the no decisions had been made as to whether the truck driver would face any charges related to the crash.
