Report concludes officer going too fast, accident still likely
JEFFERSON CITY -- The Jefferson City police officer who struck and killed a pedestrian back in November was going too fast, according to a highway patrol report.
When Ofc. Zachary Jenkins struck and killed 41-year-old Norman Carlock on Nov. 5 he was going 75 mph - 10 mph over - but the accident likely still "would have occurred" even if he was going slower, according to the report which was obtained by the Jefferson City News Tribune.
"Oh my gosh, what did I just hit? No God," Jenkins is heard saying on his patrol car's dashboard video.
In the video Jenkins is heard saying he "never even saw" the victim when the accident occurred on Highway 50 around 9:45 p.m.
Jenkins was headed to the scene of Carlock's stalled, parked car when he "glanced" at his car's computer system. When Jenkins looked up he told investigators "he hit something" and "saw a flash of clothing."
While Jenkins admitted to momentarily taking his eyes off the road, the report indicates that made "no difference" and the accident would have likely happened anyway.
If Jenkins had been traveling slower, Carlock might have only been struck by the side of the patrol car's mirror instead of its front fender, the report concluded.
Once Jenkins saw actually saw Carlock in the middle of the highway he didn't have enough time to react, the report says.
Carlock was flown to University Hospital and died three weeks later from his injuries.
Investigators suspect Carlock was intoxicated at the time of the accident. Toxicology reports were never taken but the report says he made "no effort" to hurry across the busy, 65 mph highway.
The Jefferson City Police Department had no comment and referred all calls to the highway patrol, who handled the investigation.
No one from the highway patrol was authorized to provide KRCG News with a first-hand copy of the report or confirm any of its details Saturday.
You can view the patrol car video below.
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