There are many heroes in this world who will risk their life for their fellow man. Every policeman does it when he or she puts on the badge and goes into the field. Every fireman does it when answering a call to a fire. Paramedics risk life-threatening infections while treating and transporting the injured or ill.

And sometimes, a person will work in a job facing risks that seem — and normall are — far less, only to have the reaper demand his due. Today, January 17, 2007 was that day for a COH Public Works employee. Jerry Hines, a 25-year old employee with Public Works, was on duty at the Townsen overpass, due to the weather conditions according to KTRK. When a driver lost control and hit the guardrail, he went to assist.

He could have done the same thing all the other drivers did, and ignored the motorist. He could have radioed in the accident and remained safely in his vehicle. “City Employee Ignores Stranded Accident Victim,” might have been the headline tomorrow morning, then. Instead, he chose the riskier and right thing to do; he went to help the driver. Then a second driver also lost control in the same spot, and slammed into the first car. According to the Fox 26 report, he was knocked over the railing and fell 27 feet to the feeder below, killing him.

Jerry had been with the department only 18 months, and leaves behind a wife and one-month-old baby.

In what seems to be a churlish note, Humble police noted that it wasn’t even “necessary” for the City of Houston to be sanding that particular bridge, as it was under the jurisdiction of the state DOT. As if the state had time and resources to handle the minor icing we had in the Houston area. Note to whatever fat bureaucratic ass in the Humble P.D. that felt it necessary to make that observation: Shut up. We had the resources available, we went to handle it, and we lost one of ours in the process. I’m sure you’d appreciate it if Houston were to say something like, “That Humble police officer was off duty; he didn’t have to help out,” if one were to be hurt while assisting a motorist.

Godspeed, Jerry. You and your family are in our prayers.

(Edited for content.)