First responders thanked for bravery, response to 18-wheeler DPS office crash

BRENHAM, Texas (KBTX) – A group of Washington County first responders and law enforcement officers received an emotional standing ovation while receiving an award for their bravery.

It’s been almost two months since a man intentionally ran an 18-wheeler into the Brenham DPS office. Clenard Parker, 42, is facing numerous charges related to the crash including murder. All 14 people inside the building at the time of the crash sustained injuries, and two died.

It’s a call many say they’ll never forget.

“En route, we kind of got the update that an 18-wheeler had gone into a building and so my initial thoughts were we need more people at Brenham Fire Department. We only have six people on shift at one time,” Brenham Fire Department Driver, Caleb Kelley said. “We didn’t know how many people were in the building, how many people were hurt, if there were victims trapped, if the building was collapsing. So those thoughts just start running through your mind and you’ve got to start preparing yourself for what you might see, what you might come across and how we’re going to deal with that situation with limited personnel.”

Kelley said ultimately with the teamwork on the scene, that limited personnel was just the backup everyone needed.

First responders ran headfirst into the building just minutes after the crash occurred.

“They started providing first aid care and helping with the extrication and getting those people out there digging them out and getting them out from under the rubble,” Brenham Fire Department Interim Chief Rhea Cooper said. “They just jumped right in and we put them to work and trying to extricate those that were most affected by the crash of the truck into the building and so they started providing first aid care and helping with the extrication and getting those people out of there, digging them out and getting them out from under the rubble that was created.”

The group of responders honored in the Washington County Commissioners meeting Tuesday included the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Brenham Fire and EMS, Brenham Police and DPS.

The group not only received appreciation and a plaque for their bravery and dedicated service, those in attendance gave the group a standing ovation.

“When things like this happen, it really brings out how unified all the different services and emergency services come together and work well together and just allow us to collaborate on these things very well,” Interim Brenham Police Chief, Lloyd Powell, said. “I saw acts of courage and bravery I can’t even imagine I saw officers just in a split second run into a building. They didn’t know if it was gonna collapse and I saw citizens. I saw everybody doing their part.”

Parker remains behind bars on nine charges related to the April 12 attack on the DPS office. Investigators said Parker being denied a CDL license the day prior was the motivation behind the crash. Many of those being honored shared condolences with the families of the two community members who lost their lives and the many others injured that day.