Juan N. Cruz

End of Watch:  Wednesday, December 9, 1998
Badge:  3111
Age:  48

Officer Juan N. Cruz and two other DPS officers were blocking the high-speed traffic lane of Interstate 10 in Tucson with his patrol vehicle while investigating a prior collision. A westbound car driven by Marissa 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 car at the time of the collision and received fatal injuries as a result of the crash.

Rodriguez was sentenced to 11 years for manslaughter. There was no trial in this case. The family agreed to a plea bargain of 11 years. Rodriguez was released on parole to her parents on June 22, 2009, and completed her parole on January 21, 2011.