Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeFatal CrashesHARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY KILLED BY DRUNK DRIVER

HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTY KILLED BY DRUNK DRIVER

HCSO Sgt. Ramon Gutierrez is survived by his wife and three children, including a daughter who is set to get married in less than two months.

Houston-area law enforcement officers are mourning the loss of one of their own for the second straight day.

HCSO Sgt. Ramon Gutierrez, 45, was a 20-year law enforcement veteran who spent 13 years with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. He died when he was struck during a hit-and-run crash while working a second job escorting an oversized load along Beltway 8 in east Harris County early Monday.
“Anytime we lose a law enforcement hero, it is not just the department that suffers but the entire community’s loss,” the sheriff said.

Investigators with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said the deadly wreck happened just before 12:30 a.m. along the 8900 block of the E. Sam Houston Parkway N near Tidwell as the sergeant was helping escort an oversized load.

The sergeant stopped to block an exit ramp and got off his motorcycle. Investigators said the driver of a Hyundai Elantra exited and swerved around the deputy’s motorcycle, striking him.

Sgt. Gutierrez was later pronounced dead at 1:25 a.m. at Hermann Hospital after being Lifeflighted.

The 40-year-old woman driving the Elantra did not stop, investigators said. Another deputy, who heard the report of the sergeant being struck, responded to the scene and caught up with the suspect driver.

The responding deputy followed her until she stopped more than a mile from the scene, investigators said. They added that she did show signs of intoxication and was arrested.

Sheriff Gonzalez later identified the suspect driver as Lavillia Spry, 40. Following Sgt. Gutierrez’s death, the charges against her were upgraded to intoxication manslaughter, failure to stop and render aid, and evading arrest.

She was booked into the Harris County Jail.

“We pray that she be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” Sheriff Gonzalez said.

 

The sheriff asked the community to continue to support law enforcement as they grieve the loss of another officer after a Harris County Precinct 5 deputy constable was gunned down over the weekend.

“We’re grieving, we’ll get through this,” the sheriff said. “It is incredibly hard when we lose a public servant that has given their entire life in service to the Harris County community.”

Sheriff Gonzalez went on to describe Sgt. Gutierrez as being an “excellent” sergeant who gave exemplary service and was an excellent deputy prior to that.

Sgt. Gutierrez is survived by his wife and three children – a daughter and two sons.

Sheriff Gonzalez described the sergeant as a family man who married his high school sweetheart.

“He was loved by many. Family’s grieving, his daughter is set to get married in less than two months,” the sheriff said. “There is just no word to describe what they are going through right now. We’re doing everything we can to lift them up in support and prayer as we get through this as an agency and a community.”

Sean Teare, with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, said he worked with Sgt. Gutierrez.

“This sergeant is someone I have known personally for a long, long time,” Teare said. “When you have crashes like this, we’re on these scenes, day in and day out. When it is somebody close to you, it adds an even larger layer to it.”

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