Prosecution, defense rest in Edgardo Flores trial

Update: Prosecutors and defense attorneys rested their cases in the trial of Edgardo Flores trial.

Jurors could begin deliberating as soon as Friday morning.

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A witness testifying in the trial of Edgardo Flores told the jury he is “99 percent sure” it was a state trooper who ran a red light, not the defendant.

Several witnesses took the stand Wednesday in the 41st District Court of Judge Anabell Perez.

Police charged Flores with manslaughter and aggravated assault for the 2012 crash that killed Texas State Trooper Javier Arana.

The defense argued witnesses saw Arana run the red light. Flores also claimed two Texas Rangers intimidated him into admitting he ran the red light.

The crash happened at the intersection of Joe Battle and Bob Hope in far east El Paso.

Trooper Arana was responding to an emergency. He died of smoke inhalation after his patrol unit caught fire.

Wednesday, Adrian Amador told the jury he was about to turn north onto Joe Battle when Arana passed him. He said the state trooper had his emergency lights on, but no siren.

Amador said he clearly remembers the light being red when the trooper crossed the intersection.

Tatiana Adame, a second witness who testified Wednesday, also told the jury the state trooper took the red light.

Another witness, Erica Rivera, had some trouble remembering what happened the night of the wreck, even after she told the courtroom she reviewed the statement she gave at the scene.

“I don’t remember much of the incident anymore,” she said.

Rivera recalled seeing Trooper Arana’s patrol unit in her rearview mirror and she began to switch lanes because she thought she was going to get pulled over.

Rivera said the patrol unit passed her and proceeded toward the intersection.

When asked what was the traffic light color when Trooper Arana entered the intersection, Rivera could not give a clear answer.

Rivera retracted her statements several times about what she saw that night.

It appeared the prosecutor, Denise Butterworth, became frustrated with Rivera’s testimony. Butterworth clearly repeating question to follow what Rivera said.

Immediately following the wreck, Rivera’s statement said Trooper Arana took the red light.

Two weeks prior to the start of the trial, she met with Butterworth and told her she thought the light may have been yellow when Trooper Arana entered the intersection.

Wednesday, she told jurors she was not sure about the color of the traffic light.

Cecilia Jimenez, another witness, was riding the same vehicle with Rivera.

Jimenez told jurors she is “100 percent sure” the traffic signal was red Trooper Arana entered the intersection.

Finally, Jaime Ortega was the final witness to take the stand Wednesday. Tatiana Adame, his fiancee was riding in the passenger side.

He told jurors the trooper did have his overhead lights on when he passed them.

Ortega said he was 90 percent sure Trooper Arana took the red light.

After Ortega witnessed the crash, he drove up to scene, got out of his car and ran toward Trooper Arana’s patrol unit and tried to open the door.

He could not get the door open because it was jammed.

Ortega told jurors what he said to Trooper Arana. “Hey, wake up! We’re going to get you out of here.”

“It was scary,” he said.

“I didn’t want to leave him, I kept trying.”

The witnesses mentioned above were at a party together earlier in the night. They were all headed home when they witnessed the wreck.

If Flores is found guilty of manslaughter and aggravated assault, he faces two to twenty years in prison.

The trial resumes Thursday at 8:30am.