1 person dead after water rescue at Ascarate Park lake

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate an incident Tuesday night in which a car ended up in Ascarate Park lake.

Fire crews were called out to the lake around 11 p.m. for a water rescue.

The driver, identified as 19-year-old Diego Gamez, was able to get out of the vehicle after it crashed into the lake and sheriff’s officials say he allegedly fled the scene. Deputies found him a short distance from the scene.

The passenger, Angel Omar Sanchez, was trapped inside the vehicle. After being removed from the Saturn, he was taken to University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Sheriff’s officials say the Saturn was traveling southbound on R. E. Thompson Loop inside of Ascarate Park at a high rate of speed.

Gamez failed to negotiate a curve, went off the road and vaulted into a grassy area near the lake. The vehicle then struck a retaining wall with the left side of the vehicle causing the vehicle to rollover into the lake.

Gamez was arrested for the offense of Intoxicated Manslaughter with a $100,000 bond and was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility.