Court docs: Officer smelled odor of alcohol from suspect in crash that killed Edmond cop
EDMOND, Okla. (KOKH) — New details are emerging in the fatal crash that took the life of an Edmond police officer on Tuesday.
Sgt. C.J. Nelson lost his life in the incident, the first line of duty death in the history of the Edmond Police Department.
Police responded to a multi-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of the 14000 block of Broadway Extension just after 3 p.m. Tuesday.
Officers said a utility truck driven by 54-year-old Jay Fite crashed into a group of vehicles that were stopped at a red light, including Nelson's motorcycle.
The 38-year-old husband and father of two later died at OU Medical Center. Nobody else was injured in the crash.
An officer who responded to the scene said he asked Fite what had happened.
"He stated he was overworked and very tired," the officer said in court documents. "He continued to say he was going too fast and was not able to stop his vehicle before the collision."
The officer said in court documents that witnesses at the scene raised concerns about Fite.
"Several other witnesses at the scene stated Jay Fite was driving very fast for the area and was not slowing down for the northbound traffic at a red light," the officer said.
According to court documents, the responding officer said they could smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Fite. The officer also said Fite's speech was slurred.
"I asked Jay Fite if he had been drinking and he said no," the officer said in court documents.
The officer also asked Fite to submit to a voluntary blood draw. Fite initially said yes but then changed his mind and said "he wasn't sure what to do," court documents show.
A warrant was obtained and police drew a sample of Fite's blood when he was at the hospital. The results of that test are not yet known.
Fite was booked into the Oklahoma County Jail on a second-degree murder complaint.
A makeshift memorial has been set up outside the Edmond police building in the wake of the crash. Many have been sharing their grief with the officer's family, the department, and the city.
Wednesday was slated to be Nelson's 13th anniversary with the department.
"The Edmond Police Department, the City of Edmond, and the Edmond community are indebted to C.J. Nelson and his family for their sacrifice," the Edmond Police Department said in a statement. "Please continue to lift up the Nelson family, the Edmond Police Department, and the Edmond community with prayers for comfort and healing."
St. Luke’s United Methodist Church has set up a memorial fund for Nelson's family. Anyone interested in donating can click this link and select “Nelson Memorial Fund” from the drop-down menu. Nelson provided security for the church for several years,
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