SPECIAL TRAFFIC INVESTIGATORS (STI) WORK 2 SEPERATE ACCIDENTS / 1 RESULTS IN TRAFFIC FATALITY
3850 Justice Dr. El Paso, Texas 79938 
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Deputy Jesse Tovar / PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Direct: (915) 538-2119
Pager: (915) 533-0733 (#5370)
Release Date / Time: SUNDAY, MAY 3, 2009 10:55 PM
SECTION: El Paso County Sheriff's Office – UPPER VALLEY PATROL / LOWER VALLEY PATROL / SPECIAL TRAFFIC INVESTIGATORS (STI)
EVENT: 2 SEPARATE ACCIDENTS / 1 RESULTS IN TRAFFIC FATALITY
LOCATION OF OCCURRENCE: El Paso County, TX
DATE / TIME: Sunday May 3, 2009
RESULT: ACCIDENTS UNDER INVESTIGATION / CHARGES ARE PENDING
UPPER VALEY – Sunday afternoon 05-03-09 at about 1:30 PM, Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the 6400 block of Strahan in the Upper Valley in reference to an accident involving a motorcycle. Deputies arrived a short time later to find a subject (driver / sole occupant) on the ground next to his motorcycle. The subject identified as a 22 year-old male was transported to Thomason Hospital by life Ambulance with apparent serious injuries. Special Traffic Investigator’s (STI) were summoned to the scene.
Further investigation by STI’s, determined the 2005 Honda Motorcycle driven by the 22 year-old male driver was traveling north on Strahan. For some unknown reason, the driver veered to the right onto the shoulder & then overcorrected left causing the motorcycle to high side & slide several feet until impacting into a dirt embankment.
The driver was last reported to be in stable condition.
SPEED & POSSIBLY ALCOHOL ARE FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT.
CHARGES ARE PENDING – THE IDENTITY OF THE DRIVER WILL NOT BE RELEASED AT THIS TIME.
AN ATTEMPT TO UPDATE ON THIS CASE WILL BE MADE IN A FEW HOURS.
NO OTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.
LOWER VALLEY – Sunday afternoon 05-03-09 at about 4:39 PM, Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the the San Elizario Car Wash located at 12020 Socorro Rd. San Elizario, TX in reference to a Hit & Run motor vehicle accident. Deputies arrived a short time later and met with several witnesses who told authorities that a white Chevy 1500 pick-up truck was driving erratically in the area & drove onto the car wash & struck a black 1993 Acura Integra (front end to front end). The driver of the truck sped off leaving the scene of the accident. As Deputies were obtaining information, 2 minutes later- at about 4:41 PM dispatch operators received several 911 calls indicating an accident had just occurred at the intersection of Borrego & Los Tules San Elizario, TX. Sheriff’s Deputies arrived at the intersection to find 2 white Chevrolet SUV’s with extensive damage at & near the intersection. Responding Deputies quickly tended to the injured and found a Hispanic male (54) unresponsive deceased on scene. Special Traffic Investigators (STI) were summoned to the scene.
Further investigation by STI’s determined a white 2002 Chevrolet 1500 (same vehicle involved in hit & run-occupied by 3 male subjects-ages 33, 54, & 55 ) was traveling recklessly at high speeds going north on Borrego approaching the intersection of Los Tules. At the same time, a white 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe LS occupied by a 19 year-old male driver & 18 year-old male passenger was traveling west on Los Tules approaching the same intersection.
The 33 year-old male driver of the Chevrolet 1500 continuing travel at high speeds, disregarded the stop sign at the 500 block of Borrego as the Chevrolet Tahoe was traveling west on Los Tules (had the right of way). The point of impact was a 90 degree collision. The 98’ Chevrolet Tahoe came to a halt in the middle of the intersection as the Chevrolet 1500 continued through the intersection rolling over ejecting the 54 year-old passenger (victim) who died at the scene.
All other occupants of both vehicles (4) were transported to Thomason Hospital for further treatment. The 33 year-old driver of the Chevy 1500 is in custody of Sheriff Deputies at the hospital & is facing manslaughter charges.
THIS FATAL ACCIDENT MARKS THE 4TH FATALITY OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS IN 2009.
THE MEDICAL STATUS ON ALL INDIVIDUALS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL TO INCLUDE THE SUSPECT IN CUSTODY WAS NOT AVAILABLE AS OF 10:45 PM (05/03).
STI’s ARE STILL ON SCENE CONTINIUNG WITH INVESTIGATION- UPDATES WILL BE MADE AT A LATER TIME.
IDENTITIES OF ALL INVOLVED WILL NOT BE RELEASED AT THIS TIME.
INVESTIGATION CONTINUES / MORE CHARGES ARE PENDING ON THE 33 YEAR-OLD DRIVER
(PHOTOS OF ACCIDENT BELOW : COURTESY EPCSO)
END OF NEWS RELEASE
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office in March of 2001 was the first Sheriff’s Office in the State of Texas to be Internationally Accredited from CALEA and is now the recipient of the First CALEA Tri-Arc award in Texas (4th in the Nation) to have accreditations in: Law Enforcement, Communications, Training Academy.