SAN ANTONIO — Nearly two years later, a Castle Hills police officer recounts the harrowing account from when he jumped off a bridge to avoid a suspected drunk driver. Corporal Romeo Munoz said he had no choice. The crash killed one person and injured Munoz and three others in 2019. Cpl. Munoz is barely back on the force and is continuing to gain strength every single day.
"It is very humbling, he said. "I have no complaints. I am just happy to be here."
Munoz said June 9, 2019 is a day he won't ever forget.
"Just a bad day overall," the officer said.
Officer Munoz and another officer were working a single car crash off Loop 410 near Honeysuckle Lane just around 3.a.m. He said minutes later, an alleged drunk driver going more than 80 miles per hour was coming towards his direction.
"I could see bright lights out of my peripheral," Munoz said. "There wasn't time to turn around and assess. It was an automatic reaction of just doing it."
He said to avoid being hit, the only choice was an 18 foot drop off the 410 overpass. The officer jumped and landed on the concrete next to a storm drainage.
"I remember looking up and realizing, I am on the bottom," he said.
The crash killed one and injured four others including Munoz and another officer who jumped off the bridge too.
"There were a lot of victims affected that night, because of one irresponsible decision by a drunk driver," he said.
Munoz's right leg broke in two places, he had a cracked elbow, and cracked ribs. It took almost two years for this 10-year veteran to return to work. He is still working on regaining his strength. Munoz hopes this bad day will be a reminder.
"Don't drink and drive," he said. "I know it is simple for me to say, but it is an easy decision."
Munoz said there are a lot of options, and hopes people think twice before they get behind the wheel.