Latest news with #SheriffOscarUgarte
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Sheriff's Office: Man arrested for DWI after attempting to flee in far East El Paso
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A 34-year-old man was recently arrested for drunk driving after he attempted to flee from a traffic stop in far East El Paso, according to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office (EPCSO). EPCSO said Joe Emilio Molinar, 34, was arrested on Saturday, July 26, and charged with driving while intoxicated, evading arrest or detention with a vehicle, and possession of a controlled substance with a total bond of $7,000. He was then booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility. At around 3:30 a.m. on July 26, a deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a 2021 Honda Civic near Pellicano Drive and Darrington Road after observing the vehicle speeding and failing to stop at a stop sign, according to EPCSO. The Sheriff's Office said that the driver, later identified as Molinar, refused to yield and drove off at a high rate of speed through a residential area, disregarding multiple stop signs. Deputies later located the vehicle parked between two trucks in an apparent attempt to hide. Molinar, who had clear signs of intoxication, was located and taken into custody without further incident, according to EPCSO. 'Driving under the influence and running from law enforcement is reckless and dangerous. We have zero tolerance for it,'Sheriff Oscar Ugarte said. 'If you break the law, we will find you, hold you accountable and take you straight to jail.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Yahoo
Meth bust, over 50 arrests, 300 traffic stops in El Paso County Fourth of July operation
El Paso County's "Safe Streets Operation" netted more than 50 arrests, issued 128 citations and saw no traffic fatalities over the Fourth of July 2025 holiday weekend, the Sheriff's Office said. Sheriff Oscar Ugarte praised the multi-agency operation led by the Sheriff's Office as a safe and successful effort that concluded with no deaths, no major crashes and no shootings in the county. More news: El Paso Fire Department Water Rescue Team continues to help in Texas floods The "Safe Streets Operation" included sheriff's deputies, county constables, state troopers and police from El Paso, Socorro, Horizon City, Clint, Anthony (Texas) and the San Elizario Marshal's Office. "Keeping our streets safe takes collaboration, commitment, and proactive policing," Ugarte said in a statement. "Thanks to the teamwork of our Sheriff's Office and local and state law enforcement partners, we ended the holiday weekend with over 50 arrests and, most importantly, no serious incidents." The operation was a two-pronged plan involving the countywide DWI Task Force and high-visibility patrols in the Red Sands desert off-roading area, located off Montana Avenue east of the El Paso city limits. Here's a glance at "Safe Streets Operation" numbers for the Independence Day holiday weekend, provided by the Sheriff's Office: Traffic stops: 381 Warnings: 374 Citations: 128 Total arrests: 53 DWI-related arrests: 29 Parole violation arrests: 10 Those arrested ranged in age from 17 to 68, according to information from the Sheriff's Office. Driving while intoxicated charges made up more than half of the arrests. There were also 10 arrests on parole violations. There were several other arrests on charges such as drug possession, family violence, and one case each of smuggling of persons, reckless driving, and disorderly conduct, including the display/discharge of a firearm. In a notable case, a pound of methamphetamine was seized after a traffic stop turned into a chase that began in Socorro during "Safe Streets Operation," the Sheriff's Office said in a news release. The case began when deputies attempted to pull over a green Saturn vehicle for defective equipment on Saturday, July 5, in the 700 block of Horizon Boulevard in Socorro, the Sheriff's Office reported. The driver, Cesar Alfredo Galindo, 44, is accused of refusing to stop as he kept driving through Socorro, Clint and Fabens, attempting to elude deputies. The driver eventually stopped in the desert north of Fabens, north of Interstate 10, by Hacienda Road near South Fabens-Carlsbad Road, best known as the road to Cattleman's Steakhouse. Deputies found 1.1 pounds of meth with an estimated street value of $5,000 per pound, the Sheriff's Office said. Crime: Masked burglars bust into East El Paso smoke shop, steal nearly $3,000 in merch Galindo was arrested on charges of manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance and evading arrest in a vehicle. He remained jailed Monday on a bond totaling $80,000 at the El Paso County Jail in Downtown. "Let this be a message to anyone thinking about running from law enforcement — if you evade from our deputies, you will be caught," Ugarte said in a statement. "Our Safe Streets Operation was found to be successful, and we're committed to keeping drugs and criminals off our streets." Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@ and @BorundaDaniel on X. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso 'Safe Streets Operation' nets 50 arrests on 4th of July holiday
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Yahoo
Ride-along with El Paso County Sheriff's DWI Task Force sheds light on problem
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Driving under the influence continues to be a major issue across El Paso County, and now local law-enforcement agencies are teaming up to crack down on the problem. KTSM went on a ride-along with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office and its newly formed DWI Task Force. This is an effort between the Sheriff's Office and other local agencies. The goal is to get impaired drivers off the road. During the operation, deputies and officers are out, watching for signs of impaired drivers. 'Excessive speed or somebody's going 20 miles an hour on the loop. Maybe, somebody's driving with their headlights off. Somebody swerving,' one deputy said. Not every traffic stop leads to an arrest. Sometimes, it's something minor, including headlights being off and a missed turn signal. Those can lead to warnings, deputies said. The task force was launched by the Sheriff's Office earlier this year. During its first operation, 36 arrests were made over Easter weekend. Many of those arrested were repeat offenders, deputies said. 'We have a lot of them that have DWI, on their third or more, and those are the times they've gotten caught,' one deputy said. Sheriff Oscar Ugarte says he plans to present a proposal in October to establish a permanent special operation unit that would focus on DWIs among other issues. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
El Paso County Sheriff's Office to honor fallen law enforcement
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The El Paso County Sheriff's Office is hosting its eighth annual Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony. The ceremony will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 13 at the Sheriff's Office Headquarters, 3850 Justice Road. 'This annual ceremony pays tribute to local law enforcement officers who made theultimate sacrifice in service to their community,' the Sheriff's Office said.'This ceremony is a solemn reminder of the courage and selflessness our fallen lawenforcement officers demonstrated in service to others,' Sheriff Oscar Ugarte said. 'Weowe it to them — and their families — to ensure their legacy is never forgotten.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
