Off-duty Texas school officer in coma after selfless act turns tragic
Officer Tina Egelston (Credit: : Edgewood ISD)
SAN ANTONIO - A Texas school police officer remains in a medically-induced coma after she was struck by a vehicle, according to the Edgewood Independent School District.
School officials said Officer Tina Egelston was hit late in the evening of January 20.
According to San Antonio police, Egelston was helping a stranded driver who was pulled over to the side of the road. She was helping the driver with jumper cables.
Officers said a 2015 black Nissan Frontier pickup truck struck the vehicles, which then struck Egelston and the stranded driver.
Both were hurt. Egelston was sent to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The stranded driver suffered non-life threatening injuries.
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Egelston's family's said the stranded driver had also ran out of gas.
"Two people had asked her for a ride back to their vehicle that had run out of gas. And of course, she gave them a ride, because that is what she does," Egelston's niece Jennifer Leslie told a local outlet.
The family added that Egelston suffered broken ribs and a severe brain injury.
"There are fractures in her skull. She has some bleeds in her brain," Leslie added.
The family hopes to get a prognosis of the officer later this week.
"We are sad, but we are optimistic because she does have a fighting spirit," EISD PD Chief Jesse Quiroga said in a statement to FOX Television Stations. "We are hoping she can hear us. I’m optimistic that she’ll be back to us soon."
This story was reported from Los Angeles.