Officer Juan N. Cruz

BADGE #3111
EOW: December 9th, 1998
Age: 48

Officer Cruz, along with two other DPS officers, were blocking the high-speed (left) traffic lane of Interstate 10 in Tucson, Arizona, with their patrol vehicles, while investigating a prior collision. A westbound vehicle driven by Tucson resident Marissa A. Rodriguez, 21, struck the rear of Officer Cruz’s vehicle, which was positioned at the far east end of the collision scene. Officer Cruz was sitting in his vehicle at the time of the collision and received fatal injuries as a result of the crash. Rodriguez was charged with second degree murder, criminal damage, and two counts of aggravated assault on a police officer. She eventually pled guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.