An alarming case of child endangerment emerged from El Paso County this week when a young couple was arrested following an instance of reckless driving. The El Paso County Sheriff's Office reported that deputies, on patrol on Wednesday, spotted a red pickup truck speeding and erratically moving through other vehicles on Horizon Blvd. A traffic stop revealed more than traffic infractions.
According to a social media post from El Paso County Sheriff Oscar Ugarte, while the driver and passenger were strapped in, officers found a nine-month-old child unsecured, cradled in the front seat passenger’s arms. It was determined that the driver, Mark Galindo, age 22, and Evelyn Villa, age 20, had put the infant’s life at risk through their actions.
The couple, hailing from El Paso County, faced charges of Child Endangerment as deputies deemed that their decisions could have resulted in "imminent danger of serious bodily injury." They were booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility, with bond set at $1,000 each.
