A police officer makes a traffic stop on an East Texas highway and then is slammed by a passing truck.

Gladewater officer Mike Johnson had pulled over a van for having a headlight out on Highway 271 north of Gladewater when the truck hit him. With only inches between the two vehicles, the truck ran over the back of Johnson's legs.

"That was a heck of a hit. He's still hurting quite a bit, he's taking a lot of medication and trying to recuperate," said Gladewater Police Chief Farrell Alexander.

Johnson has the same fear that all patrol officers share: With his back to traffic, are motorists watching what they're doing?

"You're worried about cars hitting you in the back, hitting your car and knocking it into their car," Alexander said.

Fortunately, Johnson saw the truck coming. Then with another look he made a split second move.

"When he looked that last time he saw that the car started to swerve towards him and he tried to make as small a target as he could. That move saved him from being really injured," Alexander said.

The van driver that Johnson pulled over called 911 while the truck driver, 40 year old Eugene Allen Jones, was arrested for Passing an Emergency Vehicle Causing Bodily Injury.

"You're required to reduce your speed at least 20 miles an hour below the posted speed limit," Alexander said.

Johnson suffered broken bones in his feet but no life threatening injuries.