Deputy Critical After Accident While Heading To Homicide Of 6-Year-Old
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - While rushing to help save a life an Arapahoe County deputy nearly lost his own.
Driving west on East Iliff Avenue behind an ambulance with lights and siren blaring Deputy Bill Foreman, Jr., 55, neared the intersection with South Valentia Street when he was involved in a collision.
Teri Levy was at work and described what she saw and heard.
"About half a minute later you hear this big huge pop, like 'bang,'" Levy said. "We came outside to see what it was."
The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office released a statement saying Foreman "is receiving ongoing efforts to save his life."
"We are providing all of the support we can at this difficult time to Deputy Foreman's family, as well as our staff," Sheriff Dave Walcher said in the statement. "His condition remains critical, but we are confident that he is getting the best care possible and we are thankful to the staff at the Medical Center of Aurora for their life-saving efforts.".
Foreman was responding to a reported sexual assault that led to a murder investigation after a 6-year-old was found dead in an apartment where the alleged assault occurred.
A red Ford pickup truck going east had turned off Iliff towards Valentia after the ambulance passed, striking the deputy's car. It rotated before coming to rest on a sidewalk.
Amanda Dantice saw the frightening scene a short time later.
"The cop car was crashed … and a truck was turned pretty much sideways," Dantice said.
Cheryl Schwartz works nearby she told CBS4, "Jaws of Life was cutting the police officer out of the cop car."
The driver of the pickup was not injured, but Foreman was taken to Aurora South Medical Center with critical injuries.
"I hope it's nobody I know and I said a quick prayer, it was pretty bad," Schwartz said.
Fellow deputies came by cruisers and motorcycles to the hospital arriving from a horrifying crime scene to a deputy in distress.
The Colorado State Patrol is investigating the accident. So far no charges have been filed.
Foreman is a 25-year-veteran of the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office.
"Seconds mattered, and we are grateful for the fast work of the personnel from the Cunningham Fire Department, Aurora Fire Department and Falck Ambulance. They worked to free Deputy Foreman from his vehicle and provided life-saving efforts while he was being transported to the hospital," Walcher said.
The driver of the pickup was cited for the crash.
The homicide of the 6-year-old took place inside the Westwood apartment building in the 7500 block of East Harvard Avenue, which is near the intersection of East Iliff Avenue and South Quebec Street.
CBS4's Rick Sallinger is a Peabody award winning reporter who has been with the station more than two decades doing hard news and investigative reporting. Follow him on Twitter @ricksallinger.
