IMPD officer remains in hospital as other victims recall crash

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A day after an IMPD officer was thrown from his patrol car in a three car crash, he remains hospitalized in serious condition.

Police believe the crash involving Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Officer Santos Cortez all started with a drunk driver who caused a domino of collisions.

A father and son were also injured. They just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"The (suspect's) car crashed into the cop car. The cop car crossed three lanes over and hit (my) truck," Mario Alfaro, with Spanish-to-English translation by his niece.

Alfaro described the frightening moments before the crash, saying he had no time to react in the split-second before Santos’ patrol car crossed into oncoming lanes and slammed into his truck.

IMPD said Cortez's car had been hit by 27-year-old Jerrel Watkins, a suspected drunk driver . The force of that collision pushed Cortez's car into the path of Alfaro's truck.

"(I) blame the person that was drinking and driving because the cop didn't mean to do it. It was the car that crashed into him," Alfaro said, through his interpreter.

Fortunately, his injuries are minor: scrapes on his elbow and a sore shoulder. Alfaro's son bears the bruises of a seat belt that held him tightly in the passenger seat during the crash.

But the same can't be said for Cortez, who police confirm was thrown from his vehicle. His injuries are serious. Cortez was responding to reports on the west side of multiple hit-and-run crashes.

Police said Watkins was drunk when he hit the vehicles, was trying to get away and slammed into the officer's car at Coolridge and West Washington Street.

Now Watkins is in jail , and officers are praying for Cortez's recovery.

Police are investigating whether his seat belt malfunctioned. 24-Hour News 8 found that state law mandates police officers wear seat belts just like any other driver.