Carolina park to be renamed after fallen EPPD officer David Ortiz
The El Paso City Council just announced Carolina Park in the Lower Valley will be renamed after fallen police officer David Ortiz Jr.
Ortiz was a nine-year veteran of the El Paso Police Department who died in the line of duty.
On March 10th, 2016, Ortiz was on his police motorcycle stopped at a red light when he was hit from behind at the intersection of Lee Trevino and Vista Del Sol Drive. The impact caused the cars to catch fire, and resulted in Ortiz flying forward into the air hitting a car in front of him. Ortiz was rushed to the hospital but died from his injuries four days later.
“He was a great officer, he was a great brother, a great husband, a great brother, a great friend,” said his son David during a memorial on the first anniversary of Ofc. Ortiz’s death. “It’s amazing to know I had a father everybody loved. It’s an honor to be the son of Officer David ortiz,” he said.
The driver of the vehicle that slammed into Ofc. Ortiz, John Paul Perry, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Tuesday morning, members of the Ortiz family stood before council wearing black T-shirts with the officer’s photo and asked council members to honor his memory.
“We stand here proudly on this day in hopes of getting this park renamed after my brother Officer David Ortiz who did pay the ultimate sacrifice for his services to this community and to the City of El Paso,” said his brother Raymond Ortiz Jr.
According to city staff, supporters of the renaming of the park obtained 126 signatures of support, including 54 of them from residents who live within a mile of the park.
The Park Naming Subcommittee and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board then approved the request and presented the plan to city council on Tuesday. Mayor Oscar Leeser and city council approved the recommendation and renamed the park “Officer David Ortiz Park.”
“He was a family man and a hard working man. And with the little time he had off from work he enjoyed it with the family, he enjoyed it at the parks. And this would mean a lot to the family to get together and enjoy that park,” said his mother Herlinda Ortiz.
The park is located at 563 North Carolina Drive in El Paso.
