An Austin police officer was driving with his emergency lights and siren activated when he began texting his girlfriend, according to body-camera footage from a January 2025 crash that injured three people. The video shows Officer Daniel Kessler looking at and typing on his phone as he approached a red light at U.S. 290 and Cameron Road.
The footage, reviewed by the Austin American-Statesman, shows Kessler removing his left hand from the wheel about nine seconds into the recording. He reached roughly 52 mph, sometimes steered with his knees and kept both hands off the wheel for nearly 30 seconds while sending personal messages.
Kessler was responding to a backup call involving officers who had stopped a stolen vehicle when his patrol car crashed into three other vehicles on January 21, 2025. The Travis County District Attorney’s Office said he later pleaded guilty to two Class C misdemeanor speeding offenses and paid the maximum $500 fine for each count.
The Crash Left Two Drivers With Serious Injuries
The collision left Jacob Mancha with a concussion, a broken kneecap, facial lacerations and permanent scarring, according to the Statesman’s account. Mancha spent about a week in the hospital and has undergone physical therapy for 18 months while also seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress…