Driver Arrested in Connection with Texas Police Officer's Fatal Crash

Grand Prairie Police Officer Brandon Paul Tsai was killed Monday when his squad car hit another cruiser and then a light pole while chasing a vehicle with a phony paper license plate.

By Domingo Ramirez Jr. and James Hartley

Source Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Nov. 17, 2022

2 min read

A 22-year-old man was arrested Wednesday night in connection with the traffic death of a Grand Prairie police officer on Monday night.

Grand Prairie police identified the suspect as Colbie Hoffman, who taken into custody and faces a charge of evading arrest and detention, causing death.

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Grand Prairie police Officer Brandon Paul Tsai was killed Monday night after his squad car hit another officer’s car and then a light pole while police were chasing Hoffman’s vehicle, officials said.

Authorities believe Hoffman fled the scene after the crash.

The vehicle involved in the case has been recovered and is being processed for additional evidence, police said Thursday.

Hoffman was arrested by Grand Prairie and Dallas police. The evading charge is a second-degree felony and his bond is $250,000. He was also faces a charge of tampering with physical evidence, a third-degree felony, and his bond on that charge is 25,000.

The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office is examining the case to determine if enhanced charges are appropriate, Grand Prairie police said in a Thursday news release.

Tsai tried to stop a car with a fake paper license plate near SW 3rd Street and Pioneer Parkway around 10:45 p.m. Monday, according to a previous Grand Prairie Police Department news release.

The vehicle fled and Tsai gave chase but lost control of his squad car and hit a light pole, police said. Tsai died in Methodist Dallas Medical Center later that night from his injuries.

Hoffman also was booked on eight additional warrants out of Waxahachie, Bedford, Desoto and Grand Prairie that were outstanding at the time of the crash, police said.

“Capturing Hoffman was a very intensive and collaborative effort that included every bureau of the GPPD, as well as the Dallas Police, the Dallas Fusion Center, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as others in a variety of capacities,” Grand Prairie police said in the news release.

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