Update: El Police release name of officer killed in funeral procession traffic collision
March 19, 2015 Story: The El Paso Police Department has identified the officer who died in Wednesday’s fatal traffic collision as Adrian Arellano, a 10-year-veteran of the El Paso Police Department.
Police also identified Maria Soto as the driver of the Honda Civic involved in the collision.
Police say that both escort motorcycles used in this funeral procession had their lights and sirens activated at the time of the fatal collision.
Police say that Soto entered the intersection with a green light, but disregarded the second escort officer’s traffic directions, stopping all Edgemere traffic.
No charges have been filed and any decision regarding charges will be made at the when the investigation is completed and after consulting the District Attorney’s Office. Funeral services for Arellano are pending.
March 18, 2015 Story: An El Paso Police officer who was injured in a funeral procession Wednesday has died.
Two other people, including the 54-year-old driver and a 14-year-old girl, were transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A 23-year-old woman in the car was not transported to hospital.
The officer, whose name has not been released, was going north on Yarbrough for a funeral procession when he t-boned a vehicle driven by a 54-year-old woman who failed to yield to the funeral procession. She was traveling westbound on Edgemere.
The officer was taken to the hospital where he died of his injuries. He was a 10-year-veteran of the police department.
A former friend and colleague of the officer still not being identified at this time told ABC-7 at the scene that the officer also worked for his company, S & S Motor Escort Inc. Scott Howes said the victim had a lot of experience working with funeral processions, and left behind a wife and kids.
