HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – An off-duty Houston police officer riding a motorcycle was killed after he hit a wandering cow in the middle of the road in northwest Harris County.
The accident happened around 1:20 a.m. Sunday on Highway 99 and FM 529.
Deputies said Taurean Branford was riding a Yamaha motorcycle when he crashed into a cow that was in a moving lane of traffic.
Branford was thrown from the bike and killed.
Another driver in a car coming who did not see the cow or the motorcycle rider who was laying in the road, struck the cow, lost control and slammed into the middle cable barriers.
The driver of the car was not hurt. The cow died at the scene.
Branford was an eight-year veteran of HPD, assigned to the vehicular crimes division.