Police Car Hits Driver Downtown

An Austin man says a police car-- without lights or sirens-- crashed into his car early Sunday morning. Now, he wants payback for damages he says he's suffering.

"I can say I did sustain injuries," Taylor Lewis told FOX 7. But Lewis won't describe how badly he was hurt, at the advisement of his attorney.

"How did he hit me? How could a police officer have done that? You know, they should be held to the same standards as everyone else," Lewis said.

Lewis says in the early morning hours, he was headed home in his own vehicle, after driving a downtown pedicab earlier that night. As he crossed Cesar Chavez and I-35, he says he was caught by surprise.

"I didn't realize what had happened until I was facing the other way, you're in shock," Lewis describes. 

Lewis says the police officer ran a red light, when he had the green to go. As he recalls, he heard no sirens and saw no lights .

"He asked if I was okay," Lewis said, "and told me his Sergeant was on the way."

"The case is currently under internal investigation," Cpl. Scott Perry, with APD, said.

The Austin Police Department says it is aware of the collision, but can't give details, pending the investigation. Cpl. Perry shares APD's policy.

"There's a list of times as we as officers can run Code Three, which is when our lights are on and sirens on, or just our lights, which is Code Two," Cpl. Perry said.

Though APD won't comment on what kind of call-out the officer was on, or the traffic accident, Cpl. Perry says this:

"When the lights and sirens aren't on, there are times when we can violate some of the laws regarding red lights, stop signs," Cpl. Perry said.

In and out of doctor's appointments, Lewis says he's suing APD for pain and suffering, and property loss.  APD can't say how long the investigation will take.
 

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