Ark. Officer Critically Injured when Tornado Tosses Cruiser Several Feet

March 18, 2025

A Diaz police sergeant was hanging upside down by his seatbelt for over an hour after an EF-4 tornado threw the officer's cruiser several feet, landing on another vehicle and ripping out the unit's radio.

Joe Vince

An Arkansas police officer was critically injured last week when he was caught in a tornado and the high-winds tossed the cruiser he was in through the air.

Diaz Police Sgt. Richard Morris was out in his patrol unit Friday when severe storms swept through the area, Chief James Thompson stated in a social media post. An EF-4 tornado with winds up to 190 mph threw Morris' vehicle several feet, and the cruiser landed on another car.

"During this his radio was ripped out of his car leaving him unable to communicate by radio," stated Thompson. "Fortunately he had his phone and was able to call 911 for help."

According to WREG-TV, Morris was hanging upside down by his seatbelt for over an hour before rescuers reached him. He was rushed to the hospital and then sent to another facility because of the severity of his injuries.

"Needless to say the good Lord was watching over him. … The condition of this car proves the good Lord was watching over him!" Thompson told WTHV-TV.

About the Author

Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.