Duty Death: Tim Huffman - [Phoenix]
End of Service: 06/05/2013
By Police1 Staff
YUMA, Ariz. — A Department of Public Safety officer was killed Monday when a tractor trailer caused a four-vehicle accident, slamming into the back of the officer’s squad, which was parked on the shoulder of the interstate.
Officer Tim Huffman, a 14-year veteran with DPS in Yuma, was killed instantly on impact, according to AZ Central.
“Our officers face death every day,” DPS spokesman Bart Graves said. “It’s very dangerous. Our DPS family across the state is in a deep state of grief tonight.”
No other vehicles that were hit in the collision were occupied, and no one else was hurt, including the truck driver, who is being questioned, according to the article.
Huffman and two other officers had been investigating a previous accident, which caused a lane on the interstate to be shut down. Orange cones blocked the lane, as well as three cruisers with their lights flashing and an officer in the street waving traffic through.
“The driver makes no attempt to brake,” Graves said. “He takes no evasive action.”
The officer waving his arms jumped out of the way as the truck barreled through, narrowly missing getting hit, officials said.