Texas procession honors officer who died after crash with 18-wheeler

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A procession was held Sunday morning in honor of Austin Police Officer Lewis "Andy" Traylor, who died from injuries sustained in a crash with an 18-wheeler last week in Austin, Texas.

Traylor died Saturday evening just days after the July 28 crash left him in critical condition, police said. He was on duty and responding to a separate crash when the incident occurred. 

Austin's KVUE-TV reported that the procession departed from the Dell Seton Medical Center around 9 a.m., and saw officers from throughout the area escort Traylor's body to the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office.

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"He had a heart for service and he put his life on the line for this community and ultimately made the ultimate sacrifice," said Interim Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon, following the procession. "We honor him today. And we will honor him tomorrow and we will honor him always going forward."

Police said Traylor was responding to a serious injury crash when a tractor-trailer made a U-turn in front of his vehicle. The vehicles collided, pinning Traylor underneath the tractor-trailer. He was rushed to the hospital and spent three days fighting for his life.

Austin Police Officer Lewis "Andy" Traylor (Austin Police Department)

Traylor was a nine-year veteran of the police department. He also served in the Navy for 10 years and leaves behind a wife and five children, police said. 

Ken Casaday, president of the Austin Police Association, told FOX 7 of Austin that Traylor worked hard to protect his community and provide support for his family.

"Andy would work five or six days a week to make sure the bills were paid and the kids had the education that they needed," Casaday said. "That just shows you what type of a man he was. He just worked hard every day to make this community safe."

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Traylor is the 24th Austin Police officer to die in the line of duty, police said. In 2018, the department wrote that he loved being an officer because "new things happen each day."

Chacon noted that even in death, Traylor "provided life to many others in need, with the donation of his organs."

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"Even in paying the ultimate sacrifice, Andy was committed to helping others in their time of need and his heroism will live on," Chacon wrote on Twitter. 

Austin's KEYE-TV reported that the officer was 37 years old.