A Texas State Police sergeant and Army veteran killed in the line of duty is being hailed as a hero for preventing another tragedy.
Mark Butler was killed in a head-on collision while chasing a suspect who was attempting to cash a fake check, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page, a site dedicated to the memory of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.
The ordeal began shortly after 3 p.m. on Wednesday, January 15, when the College Station Police Department (CSPD) responded to an ongoing counterfeiting incident at Prosperity Bank.
Officials said officers made contact with a female suspect who fled in a black Jeep Wrangler as she approached trying to cash a fraudulent check.
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Navasota Police Sergeant Mark Butler was killed in a head-on collision Wednesday afternoon while chasing a suspect who was trying to cash a fake check. (Officer Down Memorial Page)
Officers were dispatched to a report of a suspect driving the wrong way on Highway 6 in Navasota, 39 miles from College Station.
At 3:30 p.m., Butler was heading northbound when he steered his marked police cruiser into a collision with the suspect and prevented it from hitting another motorist on the highway, officials said.
Butler was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died, officials said. The identity of the wrong-way driver has not been released, but he was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.
Family members from Bryan, Texas spoke to KBTX praising Butler's heroism and crediting him with saving the lives of other drivers.
“I don't think I would have survived without the police,” Jonathan Crider told KBTX of the harrowing moments before the crash. “He selflessly gave himself so that no one would be destroyed.”
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Navasota Police Sergeant Mark Butler was killed Wednesday while chasing a wrong-way driver who was wanted for trying to cash a fake check. (LinkedIn)
Kreider told KBTX that his co-workers were returning to Brian from a landscaping job in Cypress when they saw a black Jeep Wrangler speeding toward them. At the last moment, Butler moved his patrol car into the Jeep's path to prevent the oncoming vehicle from hitting Crider's truck and other surrounding vehicles, Crider said.
“I changed lanes five seconds before the collision,” Crider said. “He didn't swerve or brake. He sacrificed himself to save everyone behind us. I'm truly grateful for his life.”
Officials said the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is leading the investigation into the crash, and the College Station Police Department is assisting with the counterfeiting investigation.
“Our thoughts and condolences go out to Officer Butler's family, co-workers, and the entire Navasota community during this incredibly difficult time,” the College Station Police Department said in a social media post.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called Butler's death “a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers that law enforcement officers face every time they leave home on the job.” He mentioned Jesus Vargas (who was shot and killed in Texas). Working Wednesday.
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“Today we lost two police officers in the line of duty. Texas law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our communities will forever be in our hearts,” Patrick wrote in a post on X. Please pray for these two heroes tonight.” they suffered heavy losses. ”
Republican Texas Sen. Lois Kolkhorst also expressed her condolences in a post on her Facebook page, saying, “This sudden and reckless loss of life is difficult to comprehend.”
“Our hearts are breaking tonight. I, along with the entire Navasota community, extend my deepest condolences to the family of Navasota Police Sergeant Mark Butler,” she wrote. “Sergeant Butler was tragically killed in the line of duty late this afternoon when a woman evading arrest crashed head-on into his patrol car during a police pursuit.
“This sudden and reckless loss of life is difficult to understand. Those in blue are taking great risks to protect us all. … We need them at a time like this. I remember his sacrifice. He lived his life in service to others.”
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“Please keep Sergeant Butler's family, friends, and the Navasota Police Department in your prayers during this time. He died in the line of duty and serving his people. He will never be forgotten.”
According to the Officer Down memorial page, Butler was a military veteran who served with the Navasota Police Department for almost four years.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com.
