AZ Another Illegal kills another cop

Accused Cop Killer Has 4 Outstanding Warrants
Illegal Immigrant Booked On 1 Count Of Manslaughter
POSTED: 11:56 am MST October 25, 2008
UPDATED: 6:48 am MST October 26, 2008
PHOENIX -- A suspected drunken driver in the country illegally who plowed into a squad car and killed a Phoenix police officer had four outstanding warrants, investigators said.
Officer Shane Figueroa, 25, was killed early Saturday while responding to a call about a series of shots fired. Figueroa was heading northbound on S. 19th Avenue, police said.
Police arrested Salvador Vivas Diaz, 50, and booked him on one count of manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault. Sgt. Andy Hill said there are four warrants for the man's arrest under a different name, two of which are for DUI.
"As he approached S. Roeser Road, a small white pickup truck with two occupants was driving southbound on S. Roeser Road and, according to witnesses and investigators, turned left in front of Officer Figueroa's vehicle," Hill said.
Hill said Diaz slammed his pickup truck into the officer's car west of downtown Phoenix.



"Officer Figueroa suffered fatal injuries during this crash and was pronounced dead at St. Joseph's Hospital," Hill said.
Diaz suffered minor injuries. His passenger was seriously hurt.
"This is another tremendous loss, not only to Officer Figueroa's family, but to the Phoenix Police Department and the community," said Sgt. Andy Hill.
Figueroa leaves behind a wife and a 3-month-old baby girl.
"This has been a terrible tragedy for our department," said Jack Harris, Phoenix police chief. "As you know, we have lost four officers in the past month due to either personal illness or to, in this case, a very tragic accident."
Officers said the collision is still under investigation. "There are a number of factors critical to this investigation that will be determined by lab tests and mathematical calculations," he said.
"Officer Figueroa's dad is a retired officer from the Phoenix Police Department and is currently employed as an officer in the town of Maricopa," Harris said. "His father-in-law is currently a lieutenant with the Mesa Police Department."