On This Date (August 19) 2000-Senior Corporal Harold Franklin Baird Jr.
On this date (August 19) 2000 a wife lost a husband, his two children lost a father, his parents lost a son, his two brothers lost a brother and Dallas lost a Police Officer.
Senior Corporal Harold Franklin Baird Jr., age 38, died as a result of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident at Baylor Hospital. The accident occurred in the 3000 block South Lamar Street.
Senior Corporal Baird was a passenger in a marked Dallas Police vehicle, driven by Trainee Officer
Michael Jones. They were responding to an Assist Officer call regarding an Element requesting Code Three Cover as he/she had stopped a stolen vehicle occupied by four suspects.
With red lights and siren in operation and just prior to the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard overpass a vehicle driven by Herbert Lee Madison which was in the right hand traffic lane changed into the left southbound lane occupied by the police vehicle.
Initial impact occurred between the Police Vehicle’s right front side and the left front side of Mr. Madison’s vehicle. Upon this initial impact, the right front tire of the Police Vehicle deflated and the front bumper of Mr. Madison’s vehicle detached.
The Police Vehicle continued colliding right side to a utility pole, the right passenger area of the Police Vehicle suffering the most severe damage.
Mr. Madison went to a nearby telephone then returned to the accident scene, retrieved his bumper from the roadway and departed the scene.
He was later identified and arrested. The Grand Jury did not indict him for Manslaughter or Criminally Negligent Homicide, but did indict him for the Felony, Failure to Stop and Render Aid.
He was found guilty of this charge and served three months in jail and was fined $3000.00.
Senior Corporal Harold Franklin Baird Jr. is interred at Restland Cemetery, Dallas, Texas.