Longview Officer Hit by Alleged Drunk Driver to Be Fired This Month

LONGVIEW � A group representing an injured East Texas officer is speaking out after the City of Longview decided to fire to her. The Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas sent KETK a release to inform the public of Officer Leigh Ann Snyder�s termination. Snyder, who CLEAT says is a long time Longview police officer, was critically hurt in a wreck involving an alleged drunk driver on December 11, 2011. Her patrol car, which had a passenger, was hit head on that morning in the 5000 block of West Loop 281 between Birdsong St. and Sabine St. Emergency crews had to use the �jaws of life� to remove her from the near fatal crash. Ramon Antonio Dominguez, 23, of Longview, was arrested and charged with two counts of intoxicated assault. His bond was set at $100,000.

Since the crash, Snyder has undergone multiple surgeries and has been unable to return to duty to due to her injuries. She spent four weeks in a local hospital before she was released. CLEAT claims Snyder requested similar, light-duty assignment that had been offered to other injured officers in the past, but was denied. The Longview Police Officers Association held multiple fundraisers and set up a personal donation account to help raise money for Snyder earlier this year.

Due to a Longview rule that states officers must return to duty within one year, Snyder will be terminated on December 11, 2012. Her representatives say this would not be possible in Tyler, Texarkana, or Marshall because of protection provided under the rules of civil service. Leaders with the LPOA have met with the city manager and other police officials asking for an exception to be made to the rule, but city leaders have not changed their decision. According to CLEAT, no court date has been set for Dominguez, but judicial records show him set to enter a guilty plea on January 11, 2013.