Doña Ana jail officer charged in fatal crash
Etiel Porras, 28, of Anthony, New Mexico, was arrested Tuesday and charged with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault
LAS CRUCES — El Paso police arrested a Doña Ana County Detention Center officer this week in connection with a crash that left a man dead early Sunday morning.
Etiel Porras, 28, of Anthony, New Mexico, was arrested Tuesday and charged with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault, according to El Paso police. A Doña Ana County spokesman confirmed Friday that Porras was placed on paid administrative leave this week.
“Mr. Porras remains on the payroll,” spokesman Jess Williams said. “He is on paid leave until at least Monday, according to the county manager (Julia Brown).”
County payroll data obtained by the Sun-News earlier this year classify Porras as an officer in the county jail’s medical station. He was hired in March 2012, according to the data.
Christopher Barela, the jail’s director, declined to comment on Porras and referred questions to Williams, who said Brown and several county administrators – including Barela, county attorney Nelson Goodin and Human Resources Director Deborah Weir – are working together “to chart the appropriate course of action.” Williams declined to comment on possible action that could be taken against Porras.
According to El Paso police, the crash occurred shortly before 2:30 a.m. at the intersection of Lee Treviño and Trawood drives in El Paso’s east side.
Porras was driving a white 2011 GMC Sierra pickup south on Lee Treviño Drive when he allegedly ran a stoplight and crashed into a red 2014 Toyota Corolla, police said.
The driver and passenger in the Corolla were transported to Del Sol Medical Center, where the passenger, identified as 25-year-old Adrian Reyes of El Paso, was pronounced dead, according to police.
Porras and a passenger in the pickup also suffered injuries in the crash and were taken to University Medical Center for treatment, police said. Porras was arrested and booked into El Paso County jail on Tuesday after he was released from UMC. He was released the same day after posting a $45,000 bond, online jail records show.
Police believe speed and alcohol were contributing factors in the crash.
According to New Mexico court records, Porras pleaded guilty to a first-offense DWI in April 2012.
Carlos Andres Lòpez can be reached at 575-541-5453 or carlopez@lcsun-news.com. Follow him @carlopez_los on Twitter.