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Feb 22, 2008 4:49 pm US/Central

Officer In Clinton Motorcade Killed In Crash

Clinton Cancels Fort Worth Campaign Rally Following Officer's Death

Officer's 1st Motorcade Was During Obama Rally At Reunion Arena

DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ― A Dallas police motorcycle officer crashed and was killed Friday while escorting the Hillary Clinton motorcade to a campaign rally.

Sen. Cpl. Victor Lozada, a 20-year veteran of the department, was apparently rounding a curve on the Houston Street viaduct when he hit a curb and crashed his motorcycle. No other motorcycles, or vehicles participating in the motorcade, were involved in the accident.

Sources say the 49-year-old had been in the traffic division since 2003, but was relatively new to the motorcycle division. Lozada was taken to Methodist Central Hospital,  where he was pronounced dead.

Chopper 11 was over the scene and showed emergency medical technicians working trying to save the officer.  The crash happened between Oak Cliff and downtown Dallas.

Sen. Clinton was told about the deadly crash shortly after her Dallas campaign stop ended.  Speaking soon afterwards, Clinton said: "We are just heartsick over this loss of life in the line of duty.  I have asked that my condolences be conveyed to the family.  I am going to call the family, and I have placed a call to the chief of police expressing my sympathy."

CBS 11's Steve Pickett, who attended the Dallas rally, said that even after Sen. Clinton commented about the officer's death, most people in the crowd seemed to have no idea the wreck had occurred.

Clinton was scheduled to attend a rally in Fort Worth after the Dallas event.  She went to Fort Worth and spoke to supporters while standing in front of the Tarrant County Courthouse.

Moments after taking the microphone Clinton told the crowd about the death of Corporal Lozada and said she was canceling the rally. "It would  be inappropriate for me to take this opportunity, as I had planned to be with you, to talk about the election," Clinton explained to her supporters.

Following the announcement in Fort Worth, Clinton went back to Dallas to visit Lozada's widow and family at Methodist Hospital.

The Clinton campaign later released a statement that said, in part, "This reminds us, once again, what our men and women in law enforcement do every single day and it is important that we respect and appreciate their service." 

Lozada had four children, two of whom are in college.  Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle said Lozada was a very family-oriented man and was the soccer coach for his 10-year-old son's team.
 
According to the chief, Lozada had only been with the motorcycle unit for a little more than a month. This was only the second time he had participated in a police motorcade; the first was for the Barack Obama campaign rally at Reunion Arena on Wednesday.

On Friday, Obama issued the following statement after learning of the Dallas police officer death:

"I was deeply saddened to hear about this tragic accident, and my thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the fallen police officer, Victor Lozada. This is a painful reminder of the risks our law enforcement officers undertake each day in the service of others, and why they deserve not only our gratitude, but our abiding respect and admiration."

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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