By Maggie Ybarra
El Paso Times
EL PASO, Texas -- An El Paso County sheriff’s detention officer was arrested Monday on allegations that he unlawfully had a gun while driving drunk in Horizon City.
Detention Officer Jesus David Vazquez, 23, was pulled over about about 4 a.m. Monday. He was stopped after police responded to reports of a man shooting a gun into the air while driving near Darrington and Eastlake roads, according to a sheriff’s complaint affidavit.
A Horizon City police officer spotted Vazquez driving the charcoal Chrysler 300 named in the report and stopped him in the 14500 block of Annegret Drive, deputies said.
Two sheriff’s deputies joined the officer soon after he stopped Vazquez. The officer told the deputies that he had noticed an empty bullet casing on the driver’s side floorboard while interviewing Vazquez, the affidavit said.
One of the deputies asked Vazquez where the gun was and Vazquez replied, “I do not have a gun. You can search the vehicle if you want,” the affidavit said.
A search led deputies to discover a gun magazine with bullets in it, according to the affidavit. They also found a silver and black .380 automatic handgun hidden in a boxing glove inside a gym bag, deputies said.
Deputies said they noticed that Vazquez had glassy red eyes and asked him if he had been drinking. Vazquez said yes, the affidavit said.
The deputies then took Vazquez to a patrol station at the El Paso County Jail Annex and gave him a field sobriety test and an alcohol breath test. Vazquez failed both, the affidavit said.
Deputies arrested Vazquez on suspicion of unlawful carrying of a weapon and driving while intoxicated. He was was released after posting bond, county records show.
Vazquez could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Sheriff Richard Wiles said Vazquez has been placed on administrative leave without pay. He is one of 680 detention officers that the Sheriff’s Office employs, Wiles said.
He is also one of two detention officers who has been arrested on suspicion of criminal activity in the past five months.
Detention Officer Derric Vidalez, 28, was arrested in September on an allegation of insurance fraud. He resigned from his position the day he was released from jail.
“We’re a large organization so, from time to time, our employees get involved in the things that the average citizen does, like DWIs, something that unfortunately happens too often in this city,” Wiles said.
But detention officers are held to a high standard because of the nature of the work they do, Wiles said. That means Vazquez faces disciplinary action and possible termination depending on the outcome of his case.
Copyright 2011 El Paso Times, a MediaNews Group Newspaper