Irving firefighter severely injured after being hit by wrong-way driver, police say
An Irving firefighter was severely injured early Sunday when he was hit by an intoxicated wrong-way driver on Texas 183 while he and other firefighters worked a traffic accident, Irving police said.
Irving firefighter Aaron Donohue, 30, a four-year veteran of the department, was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Irving police said. He was listed in serious condition Monday.
“He is progressing slowly but steadily,” said Irving Officer Robert Reeves, a police spokesman, in a Monday news release. “Please continue to keep Aaron, his family and the Irving Fire Department in your prayers.”
Irving Fire Chief Victor Conley said Monday that Donohue suffered a brain injury, but no broken bones. The Irving firefighter was in intensive care with a nurse with him around the clock. Donohue’s parents also were with their son.
Conley noted that a firefighter would be assigned for two hours to the room with Donohue.
The wrong-way driver was arrested and identified as Yajaira Estrada Calderon, 23, of Arlington, according to Irving police.
Calderon, who remained in the Irving City Jail on Monday, faces a charge of intoxication assault.
The incident occurred about 3:45 a.m. Sunday in the westbound lane of Texas 183.
Irving police and firefighters were on the scene of a five-vehicle accident and the freeway had been shut down. That accident also was caused by a suspected drunk driver, Irving police said.
A 2016 Dodge Challenger was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes when it drove up to the accident scene and struck the firefighter, Irving police said.
“He was thrown for quite a distance,” the fire chief said. “He was found unconscious and not breathing.”
Irving police later identified the driver as Calderon.
Reeves noted that 900 people had been arrested for DWI in Irving in 2020 and the city has had 14 fatalities. An estimated 75 percent of those deaths involved a suspected drunk driver.
Anyone with information on the Sunday case should call Irving police at 972-273-1010.
This story was originally published December 7, 2020 at 6:47 AM.
