EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — A man was arrested on drunken driving and marijuana charges after authorities say he drove through a police road closure and slammed into a marked El Paso County Sheriff’s Office patrol unit late Sunday night in East El Paso.
The crash happened at 10 p.m. as deputies were conducting traffic control at the intersection of Montana Avenue and Krag Street in connection with a motorcycle hit-and-run crash that had occurred near Montana Avenue and Buntline Drive.
The hit-and-run crash remains under investigation.
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Deputies had positioned a marked patrol unit with its emergency lights activated to block both eastbound lanes of Montana Avenue at Krag Street.
Despite the barricade, authorities said 53-year-old Amado Vasquez Burrola drove past the closure and collided with the patrol unit.
A deputy standing near the patrol unit had to quickly run out of the way to avoid being struck, officials said.
After an investigation, Vasquez Burrola was taken into custody and charged with Driving While Intoxicated with an Open Alcohol Container and Possession of Marijuana Under Two Ounces.
He was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on a $10,100 bond.
Drinking and driving puts everyone at risk, including the deputies out there working to keep our roads safe,” Sheriff Oscar Ugarte said. “Crashing into patrol units not only endangers lives, but also impacts our ability to serve the community at a time when law enforcement agencies are already dealing with staffing and equipment shortages. There is absolutely no excuse for driving intoxicated.
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