Pregnant Bexar County deputy sheriff and unborn infant both suffer severe injuries in car crash due to exhaustion

by | Nov 14, 2022 | News | 5 comments

Fourth accident this year following a forced mandatory overtime shift at the BCSO

San Antonio, TX — On Tuesday, November 8, 2022, Deputy Zoie Kelly, 36-weeks pregnant, asked permission to leave work early. She had been able to get only 5 hours of sleep since her prior shift of 17.25 hours at the Bexar County Adult Detention Center. While driving home, she fell asleep and crashed her car, resulting in 2 fractures to her spine and several broken teeth. Upon her arrival at San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAAMC), medical professionals conducted an emergency C-section to deliver her baby who had also suffered a broken shoulder blade.

This is the fourth vehicular accident involving a Bexar County sheriff’s deputy due to exhaustion. The overwhelming majority of deputy sheriffs at the county jail are forced to work overtime, including pregnant females. These pregnant deputies are exposed to physical and mental health hazards, often working in male units where at least one deputy is assaulted daily. Deputy Kelly had not been employed long enough to benefit from Bexar County’s family medical leave policy.

“We are praying for Deputy Kelly and her newborn baby,” says Ron Tooke, President of the Deputy Sheriff’s Association of Bexar County. “But I wish we didn’t have to. I thought that, after three of these accidents in one year, county officials would have gotten the message that forced mandatory overtime is killing our deputies. This is inexcusable.”

Deputy Kelly and her child are still receiving medical assistance for their injuries at SAMMC.

5 Comments

  1. R. E. Brock on November 14, 2022 at 4:33 pm

    Wow!

  2. Steven Diana on November 14, 2022 at 5:48 pm

    Ron can other donate to the sick poor for her so she can take the time off.

  3. Sylvia Meneses on November 16, 2022 at 2:56 pm

    This sheriff does not care what the deputies having to work the long hours in overtime and double overtime. What’s it going to take Sheriff Salazar? Why don’t he put himself in their shoes and let it see him work a unit and double all the time. Instead of being pretty boy on TV.

  4. art on November 16, 2022 at 9:54 pm

    reason why wife left, we kept prayin things would get better…..
    she’s at a neighboring county now, enjoyin the benefits, the regular hours and most importantly, enjoyin family time “ forced overtime” not to mention thts on top of “mandatory overtime”,

  5. Joann Arizola on November 17, 2022 at 5:50 pm

    Hope deputy Kelly and her new born baby are doing well. I’ll keep both of them in prayer.