A deadly Sunday night collision on far East El Paso’s Montana Avenue left a 33-year-old motorcyclist dead and an 18-year-old driver in handcuffs, according to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies say the driver of a passenger car took off after the crash at Montana Avenue and Buntline Drive, but investigators later tracked down a suspect vehicle and made an arrest. The rider was rushed to a hospital where he died from his injuries, and relatives have since been notified, officials said.
What deputies say
Deputies were dispatched at 9:41 p.m. Sunday to the intersection of Montana and Buntline for a reported hit-and-run involving a motorcycle, KFOX14 reported. Investigators say the motorcycle was heading east on Montana when a westbound passenger vehicle tried to make a left turn onto Buntline, failed to yield, and slammed into the bike. The driver of the car then left the scene, according to the sheriff’s office.
The motorcyclist was taken to a local hospital and later pronounced dead. Authorities identified him as 33-year-old Fernando Villa of El Paso.
What the law says
In Texas, leaving the scene of a deadly crash is not just a bad decision; it is a serious felony. A driver who takes off after a collision that results in death can face a second-degree felony charge under Texas Transportation Code §550.021. Separate from that, tampering with or hiding evidence tied to a crime is covered by Texas Penal Code §37.09, which can also bring felony-level penalties depending on what prosecutors allege.
Arrest and charges
Special Traffic Investigators, working with the sheriff’s Special Operations Unit, later found the suspected passenger vehicle and identified the driver as 18-year-old Jose Orlando Ruiz Rodriguez, according to the sheriff’s office. He was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on one count of Accident Involving Death, with a bond set at $100,000, and one count of Tampering With Evidence, with a $10,000 bond, KFOX14 reported. Officials say the investigation is still active.
Montana Avenue safety
Montana Avenue is a busy east-side corridor that has kept crash investigators busy in recent weeks. Special traffic teams were called out to another collision in the far east area on May 16, when one person was taken to a hospital, according to KVIA. Local investigators frequently lean on surveillance footage, witness video, and vehicle evidence to piece together what happened along that stretch.
The sheriff’s office is asking anyone who may have information or video related to Sunday’s crash to contact its Special Traffic Investigators. No further details have been released as the case moves through booking and the county court system.
