BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (AP) -- A Tennessee police officer was killed in a head-on crash early Thursday morning, authorities confirmed.
Brentwood Police Officer Destin Legieza, 30, was headed back to the precinct at the end of his shift around 6 a.m. when a driver crossed over the center lane and struck his cruiser, news outlets reported, citing police.
The other driver was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Tennessee Highway Patrol was investigating the cause of the crash.
Legieza worked for the department for five years, and was the first Brentwood police officer to be killed in the line of duty, the agency said in a statement. The department said it would bring in grief counselors.
Brentwood Police Assistant Chief Richard Hickey called Legieza a "shining star" during a news conference Thursday and said he came from a family of law enforcement officers.
"We thought he would be here a long time," Hickey said. "It's a great loss for us."