Car driver on drugs blamed in El Paso crash killing motorcyclist

UPDATE, May 22: El Paso police said Saturday that a traffic fatality initially described as a pedestrian struck and killed was actually a deadly crash involving a car and a motorcycle, with the car driver believed to be under the influence of drugs at the time.

It happened late Friday night in the 8100 block of Gateway East Boulevard near Lomaland Drive on the east side; that's where police said the car hit the motorcycle while it was stopped for a red light.

Investigators said the motorcyclist died when he was thrown from his bike during the crash. Police identified the victim as 36-year-old Ruben Chavez Jr. of Horizon City.

Officers later arrested the driver of the car, 26-year-old Jhair Hassim Acosta of El Paso, on charges of intoxication manslaughter and cocaine possession. He was being held in the county jail Saturday on $156,000 bond.

The death of Chavez was El Paso's 26th traffic fatality of the year, compared to 30 last year at this point.

Friends and family told ABC-7 that Chavez was a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer who was married with three children; he was also a veteran who had served three tours of duty in Iraq.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the Chavez family with expenses.

ORIGINAL REPORT, May 21: EL PASO, Texas -- El Paso recorded its 26th traffic fatality of the year Friday night when a pedestrian was struck and killed on the city's east side.

The victim was hit by a vehicle at the intersection of Lomaland Drive and Gateway East Boulevard and died at the scene.

Traffic investigators were summoned to the area around 10 p.m.

No further details were immediately available.