Three members of the Thin Blue Line Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club were killed Saturday in an alleged drunk driving accident in Texas.
The club was driving in the Texas Hill Country, about 65 miles northwest of San Antonio, to celebrate the organization’s birthday when an allegedly intoxicated driver crossed the lanes and crashed into the group, according to the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office. . Nine other members of the club are in critical condition.
An unidentified person was detained and faces charges of poisoning manslaughter and assault for poisoning, the sheriff’s office said.
The National Thin Blue Line Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club said in a statement that members were enjoying a group ride before their annual meeting of the Thin Blue Line Foundation.
“Several of our members had quietly traveled by motorcycle for lunch in Kerrville this morning before the meeting,” the statement said. “They were heading back to Bandera when a car traveling from Medina to Kerrville crossed the center line and hit several motorcycles head-on.”
The organization identified the three men who died as Joseph Paglia, who served as president of the group’s Chicago chapter, Michael White, a retired member of the US Army service who served as secretary of the Chicago chapter, and Jerry Wayne Harbor, a retired veteran who served as a national ambassador for the organization.
The other injured in the accident were not identified.
The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office was not immediately available to request more information from NBC News.
