Fire-safe cigarettes mandated in Texas

January 2, 2009

On June 15, 2007, Texas Governor Rick Perry signed fire-safe cigarette legislation into law. The new law, which will require that only fire-safe cigarettes be sold in Texas, went into effect January 1, 2009. Cigarettes sold in Texas after January 1, 2010 will be required to be fire-safe. All cigarettes sold in Texas must be slow burning and fire-safe, according to a state law that went into effect New Year’s Day. The law gives distributors and retailers until 2010 to sell off their old inventory.

Cigarette-ignited fires are the leading cause of residential fire deaths. So called “fire-safe” cigarettes are designed to self-extinguish if dropped or left unattended. They are less likely to ignite clothing, bedding, or other material.

Most smoking-related home fires happen on beds, furniture, or in trash when smokers do not put cigarettes all the way out, toss hot ashes in the trash or fall asleep while smoking. What's important to remember is that smoking home fires can easily be prevented. It just takes a few seconds to light up and a few seconds to make sure that cigarette is completely out.

Every year, about 1,000 people are killed in smoking-related home fires.

According to the USFA, one-in-four people killed in home fires are not the smoker whose cigarette caused the fire. In fact, 34% were children of the smokers and 25% were neighbors or friends of the smokers. Too often, the victim is the firefighter trying to save them.

This news takes on even greater significance for the citizens of El Paso. Of the three fire fatalities in El Paso County in 2007, two were caused by smoker’s carelessness.

The two fatalities occurred at 1509 Honeysuckle and the other occurred at 15449 Ryan Wesley in El Paso County.

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MAN FLEES BEER RUN WITH THREE CHILDREN IN VEHICLE

Date/Time: 01-02-08 @ 2:15 a.m.

Location: 8300 Dyer (7 – 11 )

Arrested: Michael Martinez, 25 years of age, 200 block of Collingsworth, El Paso, TX

Vehicle: White Cadillac Escalade

EL PASO, TEXAS – Officers of the Northeast Regional Command Center charge a man in an early morning theft (beer run), who has three children in the vehicle as he flees. Just after 2:00 a.m. Northeast officers are sent to a beer run at the 7-11 located in the 8300 block of Dyer at Hercules. Officers arriving see a White Cadillac Escalade west bound on Hercules run the red light (at Dyer) and make a south bound turn onto Dyer St. Officers attempt to stop the Escalade which refuses to stop, continues through the red lights at Gateway North and Gateway South, making a south bound turn onto Gateway South. The Escalade pulled over just prior to the on ramp to US 54 from Gateway South. Officers identify Michael Martinez as the driver of the vehicle and as the individual responsible for the theft at the 7-11. Further investigation reveals that Martinez committed the beer run and fled from Officers with three children younger than 15 years of age in the car. Martinez was placed under arrest for the Theft, for Evading Arrest or Detention, and Abandoning and Endangering Child. Martinez was booked into the El Paso County Jail on $6,250.00 bond.

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ABLE-BODIED MAN STEALS DISABLED MANS SCOOTER

Date/Time: 12-31-08 @ 9:02 a.m.

Location: 10300 block of Rushing

Arrested: Ricardo Vargas, 35 years of age, 10300 block of Whyburn, El Paso, TX

EL PASO, TEXAS – Officers of the Northeast Regional Command Center arrest a Northeast man in a theft of motorized scooter on New Years Eve. Officers of Northeast Patrol were sent to investigation a theft/burglary on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 in the 10300 block of Rushing just after 9:00 a.m. A patrol officer en route was advised that the property taken in the burglary was a scooter used by disabled persons. The officer, saw Ricardo Vargas sitting on the scooter in the 10400 block of Rushing looking through a bag that was with the scooter. The investigation revealed that Vargas had taken the scooter from the open garage where the owner had the scooter charging. Vargas was placed under arrest and booked into the El Paso County Jail on charge of Burglary of Habitation and a bond of $40,000.00. The property, described as a Blue Shoprider Scooter was recovered.

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SIX CHARGED IN NORTHEAST FIGHT

Date/Time: 01/01/08 @ 1:30 a.m.

Location: 5200 block of Trew

Arrested 1: Fernando Coronado, 18 years of age, 5200 block of Wren, El Paso, TX

Arrested 2: Albert Ochoa, 17 years of age, 600 block of Rainbow Cir., El Paso, TX

Arrested 3: Erik Coronado, 17 years of age, 9500 block of Rutledge, El Paso, TX

Arrested 4: Arturo Camacho, 17 years of age, 4500 block of Vulcan, El Paso, TX

Arrested 5: Angel Barrera, 18 years of age, 5100 block of Beautone, El Paso, TX

Detained 6: 16 year old male

EL PASO, TEXAS – The El Paso Police Department’s Drive-by Shooting Response Team (DSRT) was called to assist with a large fight early Thursday morning in Northeast El Paso. An investigation ensued and revealed that the complainants, Jeken Frye, 18 years of age, Stanley Simmons, 19 years of age, and Steven Martinez 19 years of age were on the 5200 block of Trew when the Arrested (1 – 6) individuals confronted them. The arrested began a verbal confrontation which resulted in the Arrested exiting their SUV armed with crow bars and water meter covers and assaulting the complainants. Immediately following the altercation the Arrested took a vehicle belonging to Martinez and fled, crashing the vehicle in the 5100 block of Marcillus in Northeast. The Arrested were charged with Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity and Arrested #1 was additionally charged with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle. They were booked into the County Jail. The 16-year old was turned over to JPD.

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EARLY MORNING SHOOTING SENDS TWO TO AREA HOSPITALS

Date/Time: 01/01/08 @ 1:30 a.m.

Location: 3000 Block of Altura

Arrested: Carlos Saul Becerra, 27 years of age, 3100 block of Hamilton

EL PASO, TEXAS – Two men are shot during the early morning hours resulting in injuries to ones torso and the others arm. The El Paso Police Department’s Drive-by Shooting Response Team (DSRT) was called to assist with a “Shots Fired,” call in Central El Paso early Thursday. The investigation revealed that the 27-year old, Carlos Becerra was at a residence in the 3000 block of Altura when he displayed a hand gun and fired several rounds. Becerra struck a 25-year old male in the torso and he was transported to R.E. Thomason Hospital for treatment and a 26-year old male in the arm and he was transported to William Beaumont Medical Hospital for treatment. DSRT has charged Becerra with 2 counts of Criminal Attempt Murder and 4 counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and booked into the El Paso County Jail.

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FORD F150 MAINTAINS THE TOP STOLEN VEHICLE AS 08 COMES TO A CLOSE

Date/Time: 01/01 - 12/31/08

Location: VARIOUS

EL PASO, TEXAS – The Ford F150 holds onto the top spot for the most popular stolen vehicle model in El Paso. There have been 168 Ford F150’s reported stolen for 2008 Year to Date. Occupying the second and third spots are the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with 162 taken so far this year and in the third spot is the Ford F250 pickup with 122 taken. Trailing in the distant forth and fifth spots are the GMC Sierra with 88 taken and the lone SUV in the group, the Chevrolet Tahoe with 81 reported stolen. These numbers are provided by The El Paso County Auto Burglary & Theft Prevention Task Force.

The El Paso County Auto Burglary & Theft Prevention Task Force urges motorists to lock their cars, take the keys and use anti theft devices such as alarms, kill switches and locking devices. Also remember to place all valuables out of sight.

For more information on auto theft prevention contact the El Paso County Auto Burglary & Theft Prevention Task Force at 915-298-9600.

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TWO BLOOD DRAW WARRANTS ISSUED NEW YEARS EVE

Date/Time: 12/31/08 – 01/01/09 from 10:00 p.m. until 4:00 a.m.

Location: citywide

EL PASO, TEXAS – The El Paso Police Department in cooperation with the Office of District Attorney Jaime Esparza began the use of blood draw procedures on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 for New Years Eve. The operation had five (5) individuals arrested for DWI. Three (3) provided a specimen of their breath and two (2) refused to provide a specimen of their breath and a blood draw warrant was obtained. All five (5) individuals were charged with DWI and booked into the El Paso County Jail. The total blood draw warrants issued and executed were two over New Years Eve.

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New Sheriff's Department Website

January 1, 2009

With a New Sheriff in Richard Wiles & a New Administration - comes change.

After much hard work, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Public Affairs Section in coordination with the Sheriff’s Office & County Information Technology Departments is proud to LAUNCH our NEW Sheriff’s Office Website.

There are many features yet to be added & more information will be updated. Please stay tuned.

You can view the new Sheriff’s webpage at the following URL: