UPDATE:
As of Thursday afternoon, the SCSO says the motorcycle deputy who was critically injured in the crash is still hospitalized and remains in “extremely critical condition.”
“The community is encouraged to keep this brave deputy in their thoughts and prayers during this challenging time,” said the sheriff’s office.
SCSO says the family has expressed gratitude for the community’s support and is requesting prayers “for strength and healing as they navigate this difficult situation.”
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Two Shelby County Sheriff motorcycle deputies were injured during separate crashes by less than two miles in Lakeland on US-64 early Tuesday morning.
According to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, around 6:50 a.m., a SCSO motorcycle unit deputy was hit by a car on Highway 64 at Cobb Road.
Another motorcycle unit deputy was struck by a vehicle at Highway 64, just east of Houston Levee while en route to the previous accident.
The first deputy was taken to Regional One Hospital in non-critical condition. The second deputy was taken in critical condition. Chief Deputy Anthony Buckner says the second deputy is on life support.
“We’re pleading with the community to pray for these deputies,” Buckner said.
WREG spoke with a woman who says she was driving her 14-year-old and 17-year-old sons to school when she was struck from behind by a deputy.
“As I was making a left, I stopped at the stop sign. I proceeded to make my left turn and I saw the officer at least about half a mile away. By the time I completed my turn, just before I completed my turn, I noticed he hit the rear end of my vehicle. So of course we stopped,” the woman said.
Her first concern was with the well-being of the deputy. The woman says her 17-year-old son ran to check on the deputy.
“We stayed on the scene and made sure he was ok,” she says. “I just thank God that he didn’t T-bone us and I pray that he’s ok. It seemed like he was trying to get out of the way but it just didn’t work out.”
Highway 64 is temporarily closed from Cobb Road to Houston Levee in both directions while the Tennessee Highway Patrol investigates the accidents.
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This story will be updated.