A Beaumont (Texas) Police officer was killed when a suspect evading pursuing officers veered into the officer's parked cruiser as he attempted to deploy a stop stick to end the pursuit.

Officer Bryan Hebert was pulling the stop stick and safety vest from his cruiser's trunk at 10:41 p.m. Friday when his cruiser was struck head-on by a 2008 Dodge Nitro SUV driven by 30-year-old John Wesley Nero.

As Nero approached Officer Hebert, he swerved his vehicle and struck the cruiser head-on. The SUV flipped into a hand-stand position, and the cruiser struck Officer Hebert, who was at the rear retrieving his safety gear, reports 12newsnow.

The cruiser was parked in the 4000 block of Dowlen Road, according to Beaumont Police. The pursuit had began earlier that evening, after Nero allegedly assaulted his mother and grandmother at around 6 p.m. at a residence at 5900 Chisholm Trail.

Officer Hebert, 36, was a 10-year veteran of the force. He was transported to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

On Saturday, Beaumont Police issued a capital murder warrant for Nero, who is being treated at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Bail has been set at $250,000.

By Paul Clinton