Osage Beach police officer released from hospital after being hit

An Osage Beach police officer has been released from the hospital in Columbia after being hit by a pickup truck early Thursday morning.

Robert Watkins, 58, of Osage Beach was driving a pickup truck when he hit Officer Austin White, 27, at the east end of the Grand Glaize Bridge, in the eastbound lanes.

Watkins has several restrictions on his license for corrective lenses, which he was not wearing. Watkins is only allowed to drive during the day at maximum speeds of 45 mph. Investigators think he was going around 53 mph before the crash.

Officials thought he appeared sluggish. Watkins said he takes insulin for diabetes and high-blood pressure medication. He claims he was blinded by the sun. Court documents claim Watkins also said he took Ambien the night before the crash. On his way to jail, a corporal with the highway patrol also claims Watkins told him he did not think he passed the field sobriety tests.

Officer White needed several stitches on his head and ankle. He also had surgery on his broken leg and left ear, which had to be reattached.

Watkins initially hit an assisting Osage Beach Patrol car before striking White, then struck a white 2002 Ford Ranger driven by Kurt Scheiter, 23, of Osage Beach.

A passing driver began CPR on White, who sustained critical injuries. White was transported to the Grand Glaize Airport where he was flown to University Hospital in Columbia.

Watkins is accused of second-degree vehicular assault on a law enforcement officer while impaired with drugs or alcohol, which is a class B felony. He faces possible misdemeanors for not using caution when approaching emergency vehicles with their lights on, and failing to follow his drivers license restrictions.
His bond is set at $100,000.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol Crash team will be assisting in the investigation.

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