[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6666796,"mediaKeyId","2308010-06b3a65585bbc1c48dcb098d3263ed7a","parentId",2308010,"title","Texas DPS crash team reconstructs Dallas North Tollway collision that critically injured Trooper Austin Perret","audioSeconds",1264,"startMs",4704000,"endMs",5968000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2308010-06b3a65585bbc1c48dcb098d3263ed7a&start=4704&end=5968","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2308010-06b3a65585bbc1c48dcb098d3263ed7a/thumbnail_4704000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6666796/Texas/Texas-DPS-crash-team-reconstructs-Dallas-North-Tollway-collision-that-critically-injured-Trooper-Austin-Perret","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6666796-3e4f18234df89a7f3641e4c240eda9fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1775910896&Signature=UyGNNiCmbrKveH3o~1Vlb46F6awNskDrTw6nNrI45Up-GixDUAGx0U8VF3ZuYpffz6dPkG3uf-rkwNy9yjpqrNu-Rdibt1crhtSlsBpmhMcbXA3XDf6W9ObBh3ivuH-QXOtHesgBQjdCeo3tHfuCna7T6qJAPG-CwF9SuCo01K-5e3MFXuwlM3R0fMBvPqqJvg~GpdE9aOXIBfVaEzxQ~BjgZ97oqPEPrV~IYdF2O0gT3Zh59WMiriWVcVWetLiG5fVD53X3UTSRkB4KR7MqpS8xu5lswghuBSh3cZCJOwQIoVI5K2o0oKCdGuy2tYo-AWgBOICJjQrVf71GJ66Q0Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Public Safety Office","date","2025-02-13T19:15:42.84Z","article","Lieutenant Shelly Lee of the Texas Department of Public Safety\u0000state crash reconstruction team and Sergeant Ryan Renfro gave the Public Safety Commission a detailed reconstruction of a December crash on the Dallas North Tollway that critically injured Trooper Austin Perret.

The crash team said Perret arrived on scene at 12:39:39 p.m., exited his vehicle at 12:40:02 and was standing on the improved shoulder near a parked vehicle and an RSS (right‑arrow) truck that were protecting a disabled vehicle in lane 1. Video and the Mini Cooper\u0000airbag control module (CDR) data show a yellow Mini Cooper approached the curve at roughly 67 mph, moved right and contacted the concrete median at about 42 mph in a glancing impact. Investigators said the Mini Cooper then rode the wall for about 23 feet, slowed, and subsequently struck Perret and an off‑duty security officer who were standing behind Perret's parked Tahoe.

\"Based on CDR data, the Mini Cooper was traveling approximately 30 mph when it struck Trooper Perret,\" Sergeant Ryan Renfro said. He added the Mini Cooper then struck Perret's Tahoe at about 27 mph and that the initial collision projected Perret roughly 61 feet to his final rest on the roadway.

Lieutenant Lee emphasized the sequence unfolded rapidly. \"This whole thing is done a minute and 25 and a half seconds after he arrives,\" she said, noting public safety personnel had very little time to establish protective procedures before the Mini Cooper reached the scene.

Investigators said the Mini Cooper driver admitted to vaping marijuana earlier in the day and tested positive for delta‑9 THC; the reconstruction team noted Texas has no per‑se impairment limit for delta‑9 THC. The team also said they found evidence the Mini Cooper driver was not using a cell phone at the time of the crash.

The crash team singled out the downstream movement of a Dallas Fire and Rescue engine as a key event that changed lane availability and helped create the conditions that led to the collision. A commissioner asked whether the first RSS truck could have been placed further back; Lieutenant Lee and Renfro said repositioning can introduce other risks because vehicles set further back may not be visible around the curve to motorists approaching from upstream.

Col. Martin and commissioners praised the crash team\u0000and described agency after‑action and support efforts. Lieutenant Lee updated the commission on Trooper Perret\u0000his first name and age were later confirmed in the meeting as Austin Perret, 30\u0000reporting that Perret was transferred to a Houston rehab facility Jan. 17, weaned off a ventilator and had a tracheotomy removed Feb. 6. Perret remains nonverbal with limited movement in his left arm and improving mobility in his right arm; staff expect an extended recovery and tentatively scheduled a move to a post‑acute facility in mid‑March, subject to medical decisions.

Colonel Martin and presenters urged continued support for Perret and his family and referenced a public GoFundMe the family set up to help with costs and recovery.

Commissioners and staff said the department will continue its after‑action reviews of the incident and examine lessons learned, while acknowledging that some incidents result from a rapid sequence of events that are difficult to fully prevent.

Perret served in the U.S. Army and with the Matagorda County Sheriff's Office before joining DPS, Lieutenant Colonel Jason Taylor told the commission.

Ending: The commission did not vote on operational changes at the meeting; the crash team said its reconstruction and after‑action review aim to identify procedural improvements and training needs but acknowledged some elements of the sequence were not controllable by arriving personnel.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Public Safety Commission Meeting - 02/13/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Lieutenant Shelly Lee of the Texas Department of Public Safety state crash reconstruction team and Sergeant Ryan Renfro gave the Public Safety Commission a detailed reconstruction of a December collision on the Dallas North Tollway that critically injured Trooper Austin Perret.","taxTitle","Public Safety Office, Departments and Agencies, Executive, Texas","taxId",29967,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6666791,"Public Safety Commission approves audit charter update, appointments, rules and contested‑case decisions",2480,6860000,9340000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2308010-06b3a65585bbc1c48dcb098d3263ed7a&start=6860&end=9340","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2308010-06b3a65585bbc1c48dcb098d3263ed7a/thumbnail_6860000.jpg","/articles/6666791/Texas/Public-Safety-Commission-approves-audit-charter-update-appointments-rules-and-contestedcase-decisions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6666791-ccbc283549f41e8eac2dc8f9d8d3a88b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775910896&Signature=R7tZeOJ13fR6m-uMO6OIY~bNQvqH6iaPoo-HD3pjaiTt0AGAU~9jMmvwDm37rsqkM9V2AxiMJBtMdn4Dy3Ess72gIbcVYxNTci6NMiPk8iKywJXlmmfZgYfE-sTfi2FymEcbzGJKs7MWFHHERd1BOyQsRUpaCMG~un6lOm1kzod0PbWpOf7AdW7D0QGIEkNgBKWum1H~BIo5O38l6ZHeAUy~m2ZaLYkycEOmhM3ac7-dthTwpFUP14WyxRAl6YjvOAqRv~kMDeh8mpfSzhBDe-b6t6ffkHyOs4nw-2rhRYV~ysvnir1bZhLebE0DxU4WhWBVCe6R8~0OLHSeVY17Vg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Public Safety Commission voted on a series of administrative and personnel items at its February meeting.

Key votes

- Chief Auditor\u0000Charter: The commission approved an updated charter for the Chief Auditor's Office to align with revised professional standards and to update the director's signature. Motion to approve was made by Commissioner Blair and seconded by Commissioner Hoard; the motion passed.

- Private Security Advisory Committee appointments: The commission appointed Louis Fellini to the security guard representative slot and reappointed Doyle Wade Hayden to a public member slot on the Private Security Advisory Committee for six‑year terms (expiring Jan. 2031). Motion by Commissioner Blair, second by Commissioner Stodgill; approved.

- Contested cases (final determinations): The commission adopted the administrative law judge's proposals for decision in six contested cases on the docket: four private security licensing matters (applicants Ronald Maurice West; Lathan Pulsay; Stephen Sinclair Johnson; Aletha Robertson) and two vehicle inspection station matters concerning alleged fraudulent emission testing (Chimp Tire & Auto Service; Quick Auto Sales & Repairs). Motion by Commissioner Long, second by Commissioner Hoard; approved.

- Driver license rules: The commission adopted two previously published amendments to 37 TAC: section 15.31 (removal of ability to issue a DL/ID without a photograph and allowing certain out‑of‑state issuance of CDL without a hazardous materials endorsement) and section 15.62 (naming conventions for the Impact Texas distracted‑driving course). Motion by Commissioner Blair, second by Commissioner Ward; approved.

- Personnel appointment: The commission authorized the promotion of Major Brian Dismukes to Assistant Chief of Personnel and Employee Services for Infrastructure Operations Division. Motion by Commissioner Blair, second by Commissioner Long; approved.

- Consent items: The commission approved the consent calendar as posted. Motion by Commissioner Loehr, second by Commissioner Long; approved.

Votes and procedure

All recorded motions described above were put and passed by voice vote during open session; commissioners indicated \"aye\" and the chair declared the motions carried. No recorded roll‑call tallies beyond voice votes were entered into the meeting minutes posted at the time of the meeting.

Ending: The commission moved to closed session for several items later in the agenda and adjourned after reconvening in open session.

","At its February meeting the Public Safety Commission unanimously approved an updated Chief Auditor charter, advisory‑committee appointments, adoption of two driver‑license rule changes, multiple administrative determinations and personnel appointments; the commission also took a range of consent items.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6666793,"Texas DPS reports steep drop in migrant crossings, large drug and weapons seizures under Operation Lone Star",617,5974000,6591000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2308010-06b3a65585bbc1c48dcb098d3263ed7a&start=5974&end=6591","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2308010-06b3a65585bbc1c48dcb098d3263ed7a/thumbnail_5974000.jpg","/articles/6666793/Texas/Texas-DPS-reports-steep-drop-in-migrant-crossings-large-drug-and-weapons-seizures-under-Operation-Lone-Star","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6666793-25221ccec5cc74c140cfb0b8e36b616a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775910896&Signature=ASHO4kGcUZ4xWpgzHd3aRhkGh-qABPHf5p6OPEMUkg11KDeSNWsMQJmE5MdVQ5vmJtseaIYO6epJTUGTGAqXQcbkOWIFxyjqkDAVSV5jVookIe~LX4kyFBR9xeZUvg9iua89syz-1c7unx-FhcRoeeMRpArk73FhBw1j9YjkhTCyFwF1KzFZjSDMK0n~pyBT66mLJjtwx7-wd0FM4PShZxA7rZZ628E4CoszADqyjAmrGQIBkSB6JTR2Jp7qHg-AzHQEDLvdI4jBGNGgj~jzE4Imf1scNcB3iiGgbeU~T1axG15-HRfyYM9agVgxFUPqfyk8707FGv1xxTFxjlA~gg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Colonel Martin provided the Public Safety Commission a status update on Operation Lone Star and said the department has seen a substantial decline in large migrant group crossings while continuing criminal enforcement and large seizures.

\"In 2024, we were at about 4,492 on Feb. 12. Yesterday, Feb. 12, 2025, we had 286,\" Colonel Martin said, describing a reduction he attributed to a range of state actions, including new state statutes, increased penalties, enforcement of state law along border corridors, and rewards for reporting stash houses. He said the drop allowed federal border patrol resources to shift from mass processing toward patrol duties.

Martin said Texas DPS still arrests 70 to 100 people per week on the border for criminal offenses and continues to interdict drugs, migrants in stash houses and firearms. He gave cumulative seizure figures for recent operations: 63 tons of methamphetamine, what he described as 6.24 million lethal doses of fentanyl, $72 million in currency, and about 13,000 firearms. He emphasized that the operations focus on criminal migrants, gangs, organized crime and national‑security threats rather than mass nonviolent asylum seekers.

The director said DPS analysts compiled a list of roughly 5,400 individuals who were in Texas jails while in the country unlawfully and who had felony warrants; DPS is sharing that list with federal partners including HSI, ICE ERO, U.S. Marshals, DEA, FBI and ATF to prioritize arrests.

\"We're going after the violent, the worst of the worst,\" he said, adding the department is coordinating with federal partners in multiple Texas cities and expects technology and resource investments at ports of entry to aid future interdiction efforts.

Colonel Martin discussed emerging operational challenges: as large crossings fall, smugglers increasingly use smaller groups and more expensive, covert routes; that trend, he said, increases violent encounters and raises demand for aircraft, marine and brush teams. He also said federal action and surveillance technology such as proposed buoy barriers could further change enforcement patterns, and he reported ongoing interagency cooperation on those tools.

Commissioners asked about lessons learned from prior surge cycles; presenters said earlier experience positions the state to respond as the operational environment evolves. The commission did not take action at the meeting on Operation Lone Star.

Ending: Martin said Texas DPS will continue border and organized‑crime enforcement and maintain coordination with federal partners while monitoring legislative and federal policy developments.

","Colonel Martin told the Public Safety Commission that statewide illegal crossings fell from about 4,492 on Feb. 12, 2024, to 286 on Feb. 12, 2025, and summarized seizures tied to Operation Lone Star while noting continued criminal arrests and coordination with federal partners.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Texas DPS crash team reconstructs Dallas North Tollway collision that critically injured Trooper Austin Perret

Public Safety Commission approves audit charter update, appointments, rules and contested‑case decisions

Texas DPS reports steep drop in migrant crossings, large drug and weapons seizures under Operation Lone Star