KCBD Photographer captures crash on camera that severely injures state trooper and pins another person in truck

Updated: Dec. 27, 2019 at 6:31 PM CST
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LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - A crash on Highway 84 and County Road 3600 that severely injured a state trooper and pinned a man in his pickup for a couple of hours was all caught on camera, by our very own KCBD NewsChannel 11 photographer who says he also feared for his life.

“I couldn't remember if I was recording at the time or how the camera was framed. I just saw that trailer coming and knew I had to run away from it,” said Caleb Holder.

Holder has been a photographer for KCBD NewsChannel 11 for 9 years.

“Part of my job as a news photographer is to go out to breaking news and shoot video of whatever it is. That includes car crashes sometimes,” he said.

Today, he went to a crash on Highway 84 and County Road 3600.

“I was looking that direction. That’s where I was focused,” said Holder.

Little did he know, another crash was about to happen right in front of him, and he was going to capture it all on camera.

“That’s when we could hear more tires screeching, and then just barely see headlights coming in through the fog,” said Holder.

A semi-truck was coming straight for him.

“The semi overturned and then slid on its side, onto the shoulder, and then on top of that pickup,” said Holder.

Caleb was not hurt, but he was not the only one there. The video shows a trooper running for his life away from the truck. Then he trips.

“As I was running away, I remember looking back and seeing the trooper also running, and then I could see that he had fallen down and that the trailer was coming really close to him,” said Holder.

The trooper was hit by the semi.

“The trooper that was struck is going to be okay. He does have some serious injuries, but nothing life threatening,” said Sgt. Johnny Bures.

Also in the video, a man can be seen jumping into his pickup right before he was pinned underneath the trailer for a few hours. He was eventually saved by officials who had to use the jaws of life to free him from the wreckage.

“I’ve never seen anything like that in person,” said Holder.

Officials say this is a reminder that when we are asked to drive with caution during fog. First responders put their lives in danger when they stop to help at crash site.

Remember to turn on your low beam headlights and drive slowly. Also don’t forget the move over law. If you see officials responding to anything on the road, you have to slow down and move over.

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