Officer Juan Nieblas Cruz
Arizona Department of Public Safety
Arizona
End of Watch: Wednesday, December 9, 1998

Biographical Info
Age: 48
Tour of Duty: 17 years
Badge Number: 3111

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Vehicular assault
Date of Incident: Wednesday, December 9, 1998
Weapon Used: Automobile; Alcohol involved
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 11 years

Officer Cruz was killed when his patrol car was rear-ended while he was investigating another accident on I-10. Officer Cruz was sitting in his patrol car, which was parked in the left lane with emergency lights activated, when the accident occurred. The patrol car burst into flames and, as another officer attempted to free him, a small explosion occurred.

The vehicle that struck him had driven through a line of flares and didn't slow down before the impact. The driver of that vehicle, who turned 21 the day before the accident, was taken to a local hospital and a homicide investigation was started. The suspect had a BAC of .168. The suspect pled guilty to vehicular manslaughter and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Officer Cruz had been with the department for 17 years and is survived by five children and fiancee. He was planning on being remarried on December 24th.