Docs: 32-year-old man charged with intoxication manslaughter after fatal crash
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – A 32-year-old man was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter after a fatal crash on Interstate 10 near Exit 16 on Sunday, December 17.
According to court documents, El Paso Police Department (EPPD) officers were dispatched at 2:49 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 17 to I-10 eastbound near Exit 16 (Executive Center Blvd.) in reference to a crash involving a fatality.
The Special Traffic Investigations unit was called at the scene and the preliminary investigation revealed that Martin Medina Jr., 32, was traveling at a high rate of speed eastbound on I-10 when he veered off the roadway and crashed with a semi-trailer parked on the right-hand emergency lane. This led to Alexander Ortiz being ejected from the vehicle resulting in his death.
Officers suspected that Ortiz was in the backseat of Medina’s vehicle unseat belted due to the driver’s seat being bent forward. As the collision was occurring, Ortiz was ejected from the vehicle and ultimately became pinned under the vehicle.
Medina sustained severe injuries and was transported to Las Palmas Medical Center for treatment, but later transferred to Del Sol Medical Center and placed into intensive care unit, according to court documents.
According to court documents, approximately five hours after the crash, an affiant met with Medina, and he admitted to consuming two 16-ounce shiner bock’s while at a bar called “Flips” on Country Club Road. The affiant at this time could still detect a strong odor of alcohol emanating from Medina.
Medina then further explained that he was at the same bar with his roommate Ortiz and that they left at approximately midnight. He would then go on to change his story of who he had left the bar with, according to court documents.
As the interview continued, Medina stated that he only recalled himself being inside the vehicle at the time of the crash and admitted to being the driver of the vehicle that crashed with the semi-trailer.
When asked where he was headed to, Medina stated that he was headed to an ex-girlfriend’s house. Affiant then asked if he recalled anyone sitting in the front passenger seat and stated no. When asked if he recalls anyone laying down in the back passenger seat, he stated that he remembers “Alex” laying in the rear passenger seat.
Medina was ultimately released from the hospital and booked into the El Paso County jail on Dec. 21. He is currently being held on a $110,000 bond.
Aditionally, no mugshot was provided by EPPD.
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