Aaron Martinez

El Paso Times

An off-duty El Paso police officer allegedly attempted to flee from law enforcement while in the hospital after a fatal wreck Tuesday in Central Texas, court documents state.

El Paso Police Department Officer Alan Eduardo Dieguez was driving a white Hyundai Veloster on Interstate 35 North near Jarrell, Texas, at about 2 a.m. Central time when he allegedly rear-ended a semitrailer, according to an affidavit released by the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

Dieguez, 26, was allegedly driving about 100 miles per hour and cutting between traffic, a witness at the scene told Texas Department of Public Safety troopers. The impact of the collision separated the engine from the Hyundai and spread debris all over the highway, the documents state.

The Hyundai then went off the interstate, crossed over a grassy median and came to a stop on a service road, documents state.

Dieguez’s brother, Roman Dieguez, was also in the vehicle.

The driver of the semi-truck, Dane Rutter, got out of his vehicle and attempted to render aid to the Dieguez brothers.

As Rutter was walking over the median, another semi-truck driven by Victor Lujan swerved to avoid hitting the Hyundai’s engine that was left on the interstate and struck Rutter, documents state. Rutter died at the scene.

The semi-truck then rolled over and caught fire, documents state. Lujan suffered “incapacitating injuries,” documents state.

A third semi-truck driven by James Camp then struck the Hyundai’s engine, which caused the vehicle to catch on fire. Camp suffered no injuries in the wreck.

Witnesses at the scene told troopers that Alan Dieguez had been drinking alcohol and appeared to be intoxicated, documents state.

Camp told troopers that he saw Alan Dieguez “pass him at a high rate of speed” and “driving recklessly by cutting in between other vehicles,” the documents state.

The Dieguez brothers were both taken to Seton Medical Center Williamson in Round Rock with minor injuries.

According to the affidavit, Alan Dieguez fled the hospital on foot after he refused medical treatment.

Rock Round Police Department officers found Alan Dieguez a short while later and took him into custody. The officers then took him back to the hospital.

Alan Dieguez was interviewed by troopers at the emergency room. He allegedly told troopers that he was driving the Hyundai and that he drank “one of two rum and cokes,” the documents state.

He added that he and his brother were driving to San Antonio from Austin.

The trooper who interviewed Alan Dieguez wrote in her report that she could “smell a heavy odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his (Alan Dieguez's) breath,” documents state. She added that his eyes were allegedly bloodshot and glassy.

Alan Dieguez was then taken to the ambulance bay of the hospital in order for a field sobriety test to be conducted. He refused to do the test, but later agreed to provide a blood sample at the hospital. Documents do not state what the results of the blood alcohol level analysis were.

Troopers also found a 9 mm handgun inside a compartment on the front passenger door.

Alan Dieguez was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and unlawfully carrying a weapon.

He was booked into the Williamson County Jail on a bond totaling $7,500, according to jail records. He was released later in the day after he posted bond.

El Paso Police Department officials said that Alan Dieguez will be placed on administrative leave when he returns to El Paso. No information has been released on whether he is back in El Paso.

Alan Dieguez has been with the El Paso Police Department for three years and is assigned to the Northeast Regional Command Center.

Aaron Martinez may be reached at 546-6249; aamartinez@elpasotimes.com; @AMartinez31 on Twitter.