DALLAS (1080 KRLD)- A memorial has been set up outside the police station where the Dallas officer who was hit and killed by a wrong-way driver worked. Officer Jacob Arellano worked at Northwest Patrol Division near Harry Hines and Loop 12.
Dallas Police parked a squad car on the plaza in front of the building, and some officers and members of the public started leaving flowers Thursday morning.
"The news, when [my wife and I] first heard about it, just broke our hearts," one man said when he stopped at the memorial Thursday. "I come by here every day on the way to the office. I just felt pulled to take a break, come in and just pay my respects."
He says he wanted to show support both for Arellano and for other officers who knew him but still have to respond to emergency calls.
"First responders, the police, the firemen, they give so much. They give everything," he says. "It's a thankless job, and there's no way we can ever thank them enough for what they do."
Arellano was 25 and became a Dallas Police officer in 2019. His brother is also a Dallas Police officer. Arellano also left behind his parents, a girlfriend and their eight month old son.
The driver police say was going the wrong way on Spur 408 survived and went to the hospital in serious condition. Police have said their initial investigation has shown she may have been intoxicated.
A fundraiser has been started to help Jacob Arellano's family. You can donate here.
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up and Follow NewsRadio 1080 KRLD