On Tuesday, September 3, 1985, at approximately 6:00 a.m., Deputy Reginald “Rocky” Norwood was on his way to work at the Harris County Detention Center when he on-viewed a five car major accident in the 15700 block of the Eastex Freeway. Deputy Norwood, without regard to his own safety, parked his car on the Greens Road off-ramp and proceeded to assist the injured and also began helping with traffic control. After tending to two of the injured, Deputy Norwood began to run toward an overturned tractor-trailer that still had victims trapped inside. Deputy Norwood was crossing the freeway in the darkness as the driver of another vehicle ignored officers that were directing traffic and drove through the center grassy median to get around the accident scene. As the vehicle reentered the roadway, it struck Deputy Norwood killing him instantly. Sergeant G. E. Clements of the Harris County Sheriff’s Department’s Traffic Accident Division was conducting the initial investigation of the accident. He was on the opposite side of the freeway and was unaware that Deputy Norwood was on the scene. It was not until his attention was diverted toward a loud noise and the sight of seeing a vehicle fleeing the scene that he noticed something else had happened. He and paramedics saw an object in the freeway and ran to see what it was. It was then that Sergeant Clements discovered the body of Deputy Norwood lying in the freeway. Deputy Norwood was pronounced dead at the scene. Several other people had also been injured in the original accident, which caused traffic to be tied up for several hours before the investigation could be completed. The suspect driving the fleeing vehicle managed to leave the scene, but turned himself in to Sheriff’s investigators the next day. The suspect was charged with Failure to Stop and Render Aid and received four years confinement in the Texas Department of Corrections. Reginald Floyd Norwood was born in Houston, Texas on May 13, 1958 to his parents Alvin F. Norwood and Johnnie Norwood. He attended and graduated from E. L. Furr High School. He enrolled into Prairie View A&M University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He received his law enforcement certification from the University of Houston Downtown Campus. Deputy Norwood joined the Harris County Sheriff’s Department on May 1, 1982 and was assigned to the Detention Bureau. He was married to Pamela Bailey Norwood and they had one son, Demario Jera’n Norwood, and one daughter, Dyani Norwood, who was born six months after his death. Deputy Rocky Norwood was 27 years old and the 18th deputy to die in the line of duty.