ROANOKE, TX — A Roanoke police officer is still in critical condition after a weekend crash that followed a high-speed motorcycle pursuit near Texas Motor Speedway. Cpl. Kevin Buchanan underwent surgery Sunday afternoon for multiple broken bones and internal bleeding, according to Roanoke Police Chief Jeff Williams.
Williams said the operation went as expected, but Buchanan still has a long recovery ahead. The chief said the motorcycle officer has been with the department for three years and has been surrounded by family, fellow officers and members of the wider law enforcement community since the crash.
Officer’s surgery and condition after the crash
Police said Buchanan’s injuries were serious enough to require surgery the day after the collision. Williams said the officer remains in critical condition, though the medical procedure went as planned.
The chief’s update underscored both the severity of the injuries and the uncertainty ahead. Buchanan’s recovery is expected to take time, and officers have continued to rally around him while he remains hospitalized.
Authorities have not said when Buchanan might be released, but they did make clear that his condition is still fragile. The department is treating the incident as a major blow to one of its motorcycle officers, who was on traffic duty when the pursuit began.
How the pursuit started near Highway 114 and I-35W
The crash happened around midnight Sunday while Buchanan was conducting traffic enforcement near Texas Motor Speedway, where a large motorcycle event was taking place. Police said he tried to stop a rider who was speeding westbound on State Highway 114.
That rider was later identified as Deontae Keshawn Myers, 26, of Lawton, Oklahoma. Police said he was riding a 2021 Yamaha motorcycle and ran a red light at the Interstate 35W intersection before the chase escalated.
Buchanan followed on his police motorcycle, and the pursuit turned high-speed. According to investigators, the sequence of events ended in a crash that involved Myers and Buchanan, along with a van that was traveling in the area.
Van struck in the collision, but occupants were not hurt
Police said Myers crashed into a 2023 Ford Transit van at the end of the pursuit. Buchanan tried to take evasive action but also hit the van.
The people inside the van were not injured, officials said. That detail stands out in a collision that left both the officer and the suspect hospitalized.
The roadway crash closed the pursuit with a violent impact after the alleged traffic violations and attempted stop. Authorities have not said whether any additional vehicles were involved beyond the motorcycle, the police motorcycle and the van.
Charges filed against Deontae Keshawn Myers
Northlake police said Myers faces a charge of evading arrest with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury, which is a third-degree felony. He is also charged with reckless driving, a Class B misdemeanor.
Police said Myers remains hospitalized for injuries suffered in the Sunday collision. Once he is released, he will be transferred to the Denton County Jail.
The charges reflect the seriousness of the pursuit and the injuries that followed. Police have not said when Myers may be released from the hospital, only that custody will come after his medical treatment allows.
Roanoke Police ask for support the safe way
Officials said the response from residents, former officers and other law enforcement agencies has been widespread. The department thanked people for the support that has come in since Buchanan was hurt.
Those who want to help Buchanan and his family can drop off gift cards at the Roanoke Police Department, including restaurant, grocery, gas, delivery and retail cards. People may also leave written messages of encouragement there.
Department leaders warned the public to avoid unverified links and third-party fundraisers. They said any official fundraising efforts will be posted only through the City of Roanoke or Roanoke Police Department social media accounts.
A local officer with three years on the department
Buchanan has served with the Roanoke Police Department for three years, Williams said. As a motorcycle officer, he was working traffic enforcement when the incident unfolded near one of North Texas’s busiest highway corridors.
The case now moves on two tracks: Buchanan’s medical recovery and the criminal case against Myers. Both men remained hospitalized after the crash, while investigators continued piecing together the sequence of events on Highway 114 and I-35W.
For the department, the update brought some relief that surgery went as expected, but no certainty about what comes next. Williams said the officer is not out of the woods, and the road ahead remains long.
