Police Officer Answering Phone While Driving Hits, Kills Popular Pastor

A police officer, Zachary Lockwood who was driving and responding to a call struck and killed a popular pastor in Connecticut, in the United States.

According to CBS, the 24-year-old police officer from Stamford was driving a police sport utility vehicle (SUV) when he hit 69-year-old Tommie Jackson.

The accident happened shortly after 4 pm on Wednesday, according to a Connecticut State Police accident report.

Jackson, a pastor at Rehoboth Fellowship Church and Faith Tabernacle Church and an assistant director of the city’s Urban Redevelopment Commission, was trying to cross the road after picking up mail from a mailbox when he was struck, the report said.

Lockwood “made an evasive steering manoeuvre” and hit him, according to the state police, who took over the investigation at the request of the Stamford State’s Attorney’s Office.

Stamford Police Chief Timothy Shaw said Jackson was taken to Stamford Hospital, where he died of his injuries.

Dorye Jackson, the victim’s wife, is one of five members of the Stamford Police Commission, an advisory board overseeing the police department, CBS reported.

Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons issued a statement of condolence and said Jackson was a personal friend and a “larger-than-life presence who was steadfast in his advocacy for social and racial justice.”

“Rev. Jackson was a pillar in the Stamford community and led a life devoted to faith and public service,” she wrote.

The state police report did not include any details of the call Lockwood was responding to and did not say how fast he was driving.