Drunk Driver Hits Ramsey County Squad, Killing Deputy's Ride-Along Wife

**gopherpuckfan** · 01-01-08, 01:42 PM

Deputy was working Safe & Sober detail. Wife was along for a ride-along.

http://stmedia.startribune.com/image...5/1CRASH.1.jpg

http://www.startribune.com/local/12956586.html
Ramsey County squad car involved in fatal crash on Hwy. 10

A sheriff deputy's wife was killed in the early morning accident and the deputy was injured.

By TIM HARLOW AND LORA PABST, Star Tribune Staff Writers
Last update: January 1, 2008 - 11:41 AM

A driver going the wrong way on Hwy. 10 in Arden Hills crashed into a Ramsey County sheriff's squad car early today, killing a deputy's wife who was riding along as a passenger.

The State Patrol identified the victim as Margaret L. Lopez, 56, of Shoreview. She died at the scene. Her husband, sheriff's deputy Joseph Lopez, 61, was injured and taken to Regions Hospital. He was discharged this morning, said Ashley Burt, a hospital spokeswoman.

Lt. Mark Peterson of the Minnesota State Patrol said a black sedan was headed eastbound -- the wrong way -- around 3:35 a.m. on Hwy. 10 when it struck the squad just east of Interstate Hwy. 35W.

Joseph Lopez is a 27-year veteran deputy with the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office, its spokeswoman Holli Drinkwine said. Margaret Lopez was not a Ramsey County sheriff's deputy, but was with her husband for a ride-along, Drinkwine said.

A 23-year-old woman who was driving the black sedan was injured and taken to Regions Hospital with a torn aorta. She was in critical condition Tuesday morning, and alcohol may have been a factor in the crash, Peterson said.

The Ramsey County squad was headed westbound on Hwy. 10, on patrol looking for drunk drivers, Peterson said. The sheriff's office allows non-officers to ride along as observers. Drinkwine said authorities will examine whether all procedures were followed in this case.

Westbound Hwy. 10 near the accident scene was closed for several hours as authorities investigated and cleaned up the debris. The highway has reopened.

1*girl · 01-01-08, 01:46 PM

Man! What a way to start off the year. I hope God is with her and her family. Glad to hear he's been discharged from the hospital, though.

**Just KC** · 01-01-08, 01:50 PM

OMG....just no words. I can't imagine what he is going through.

1*girl · 01-01-08, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by Just KC

I can't imagine what he is going through.

I wonder if he'll retire or stay with the job? I'm sure at that age if it were me, I'd just go ahead and retire.

**dkpd1384** · 01-01-08, 02:14 PM

I would think he would retire too,,can't see how he would get back in a unit after something like that happened. Why I glad we do not favor ride along especially with relatives. Glad he is out of the hospital but I don't think his biggest problem wioll be getting over the physical injuries. As far as the other driver should already be charged with vehicular homicide,,no waiting involved.

**Hannibal** · 01-01-08, 03:13 PM

I couldn't imagine what he must be going through.

**Lawdog32** · 01-01-08, 03:30 PM

Thats why I dont let my guys have family for ride alongs. I hope he has a strong group of guys. He is going to need to lean on them.

**Five-0** · 01-01-08, 03:42 PM

Retire my ass. I would be in custody if something like that happened. That is why I don't even eat in uniform with my wife. To many bad things can happen when you get your family mixed up in this profession.

**countybear** · 01-01-08, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by Five-0

Retire my ass. I would be in custody if something like that happened. That is why I don't even eat in uniform with my wife. To many bad things can happen when you get your family mixed up in this profession.

+1

**Illiy** · 01-01-08, 04:50 PM

Prayers...

**gozling** · 01-01-08, 04:58 PM

beyond awful!!!

**Buttercup** · 01-01-08, 05:00 PM

That's just horrible, thoughts and prayers to the deputy and his family.

**Willowdared** · 01-01-08, 05:22 PM

Prayers en-route.

**TXCharlie** · 01-01-08, 06:06 PM

That's just sickening. I hope he gets over it, but how do you get over something like that?

**xnvyflyer** · 01-01-08, 06:35 PM

Thoughts/Prayers for the whole family.

We recently lost a Border Patrol agent in San Diego County the same way. On his way home from work on the freeway late at night. A wrong way DUI driver hit him head-on and killed him.

About 1 month after that, I was on my way home on the freeway at about 0110 hours. I was in the #2 lane at about 70 and a wrong-way driver in the #1 passed by me at close to 100 MPH. A full-size pickup truck. The headlights blended in with the traffic on the other side of the freeway and I didn't notice until the truck was about 100 yards away. No time to even flinch.

Thoughts from helplessness to anger.

Be careful out there folks!

**bmf95b** · 01-01-08, 06:49 PM

So sad.
Thats one reason I would never bring my wife on a ride a long. You never know what can happen.

**chp7016** · 01-01-08, 06:54 PM

So very tragic. One's worst nightmare.

**xnvyflyer** · 01-01-08, 07:13 PM

No disrespect intended to any previous posters but it has been pointed out that the aforementioned tragedy is why they wouldn't bring their spouses on a ride-along.

I don't see what being on a ride-along has to do with being hit by a drunk driver. You and your spouse could just as easily be struck by a drunk driver going out to dinner, right? Does anybody think that cruising down the road in a black and white with a ride-along increase your chances of being hit by a drunk?

If I'm missing something, please advise.

**Five-0** · 01-01-08, 07:26 PM

Because the officer's wife was killed while on a ride along.

I run into people that I have arrested all to often off duty and on meal breaks while on duty. I never sit with my back to doors nor do I venture out unarmed. Everyone on this board can get killed at anytime. However, I accecpted that things could happen to me in this profession. I will be damned if I loose my wife to the risks associated with this life because someone has a problem with me or something that I have done while performing my duties. Tempting fate just doesn't seem like a good idea in regards to someone that I value above even myself.

**xnvyflyer** · 01-01-08, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by Five-0

Because the officer's wife was killed while on a ride along. I think that is what you missed

No, didn't miss that. My point is, what difference does it make if she is in a patrol car or the family minivan? It just so happened she was on a ride-along. Should I never drive anywhere with my wife as a passenger? Or are we only targets for the drunk drivers when we are in a patrol car? This could happen to any one of us driving any type of car with any passenger in any line of work any time we get behind the wheel and take to the road.

Sad as it was, I don't see this incident as being a reason to not have your wife ride along with you.

Having a ride-along may limit the types of incidents you could respond to while on duty. Would I participate in a traffic pursuit with my wife on board? Of course not. Truth be known, I wouldn't have my wife with me on a ride-along anyway because there are just too many situations that I wouldn't, and shouldn't, be putting her in.

Clear as mud?