FORT WORTH — A Fort Worth police officer's blood-alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit when his unmarked police vehicle collided with a PT Cruiser, killing a mother of two, police said Thursday.
Officer Jesus Cisneros’ blood-alcohol content measured 0.17 after the Dec. 11 crash that killed Sonia Baker, 27, according to a Fort Worth police statement. The legal limit in Texas is 0.08.
Detectives are now investigating the crash as an intoxication manslaughter case, police said.
"This tragedy has shocked the conscience of this department," Police Chief Jeff Halstead said in a statement. "The Police Department is deeply saddened for the Baker family. We are embarrassed by this tragic incident."
Reached by telephone, Demond Baker, Sonia Baker’s husband, said that dealing with his wife’s death left him too tired to discuss Thursday’s findings. Her funeral was Tuesday, according to an obituary in the Star-Telegram.
The Bakers have two sons, Tayshawn, 4, and Amarion, 5.
"I’m just drained right now," Demond Baker said.
Sonia Baker, a dialysis technician, was driving from her southwest Fort Worth home to a McDonald’s when the crash occurred, her husband has said. Fort Worth police said Cisneros, who was off-duty, was westbound in the 3800 block of Columbus Trail when the Toyota Highlander he was driving collided with Baker’s car about 2:30 a.m.
Baker, who had been southbound on Evening Star Drive, had turned east in front of the officer’s vehicle, police have said.
Cisneros’ blood was drawn at a hospital after the crash. He is now on restricted duty, police said.
Read more at Star-Telegram.com