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| Alcohol level of driver who hit cop was nearly 3 times legal limit, judge told | Alcohol level of driver who hit cop was nearly 3 times legal limit, judge told |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| After drinking beer and shots of whiskey for three hours, Luis Reluzco pulled out of a Hooters parking lot, turned right and headed up Rockville Pike. Flashing police lights were visible a mile ahead. | After drinking beer and shots of whiskey for three hours, Luis Reluzco pulled out of a Hooters parking lot, turned right and headed up Rockville Pike. Flashing police lights were visible a mile ahead. |
| The start of his drive, as laid out in court Friday, was among fresh details that surfaced in the high-profile case against Reluzco, 47, who was charged this week with vehicular manslaughter in the death of Montgomery County Police Officer Noah Leotta, 24. | The start of his drive, as laid out in court Friday, was among fresh details that surfaced in the high-profile case against Reluzco, 47, who was charged this week with vehicular manslaughter in the death of Montgomery County Police Officer Noah Leotta, 24. |
| Both Reluzco’s attorney and prosecutor Bryan Roslund said Reluzco’s blood alcohol level that night was tested at 0.22, nearly three times the legal limit. They said his blood also showed signs of Xanax. | Both Reluzco’s attorney and prosecutor Bryan Roslund said Reluzco’s blood alcohol level that night was tested at 0.22, nearly three times the legal limit. They said his blood also showed signs of Xanax. |
| At a news conference after Friday’s hearing, Leotta’s father, Rich, called for tougher drunken-driving laws in Maryland. On the night of Dec. 3, his son was working on DUI enforcement and had pulled over a suspected drunk driver when he was struck from behind by Reluzco’s Honda CR-V. | |
| “My hero son was out there trying to stop drunk drivers,” Rich Leotta said. “Noah, I love you. I miss you. And I’m going to fight for you and every other victim of drunk driving for the rest of my life.” | “My hero son was out there trying to stop drunk drivers,” Rich Leotta said. “Noah, I love you. I miss you. And I’m going to fight for you and every other victim of drunk driving for the rest of my life.” |
| Reluzco, a onetime bartender at the Bethesda Country Club who helps raise his grandson, remains deeply remorseful, according to his attorney, John Roth. | |
| “My client is destroyed by what happened,” Roth said Friday. “He understands the penalty that he will face.” | “My client is destroyed by what happened,” Roth said Friday. “He understands the penalty that he will face.” |
| Roth and prosecutors are due in court again next week. Central to the prosecution is how intoxicated Reluzco was and how he came to strike Leotta’s car and then the officer. | Roth and prosecutors are due in court again next week. Central to the prosecution is how intoxicated Reluzco was and how he came to strike Leotta’s car and then the officer. |
| Based on reports, interviews and statements made in court Friday, the case is taking this shape: | Based on reports, interviews and statements made in court Friday, the case is taking this shape: |
| As soon as Reluzco left Hooters and was on the roadway, the flashing red, blue and white lights on Leotta’s stopped cruiser would have been visible. Leotta was out of his car, having pulled over another vehicle, spoken with that driver, and put that driver’s license in his uniform pocket to keep his hands free, according to a police spokesman. | As soon as Reluzco left Hooters and was on the roadway, the flashing red, blue and white lights on Leotta’s stopped cruiser would have been visible. Leotta was out of his car, having pulled over another vehicle, spoken with that driver, and put that driver’s license in his uniform pocket to keep his hands free, according to a police spokesman. |
| Leotta walked back to his cruiser, which he had parked in the far right lane, angled in a way that shielded him. | Leotta walked back to his cruiser, which he had parked in the far right lane, angled in a way that shielded him. |
| He had also pulled his car over on a slight incline in such a way that cars approaching from behind could see its lights at a distance. | He had also pulled his car over on a slight incline in such a way that cars approaching from behind could see its lights at a distance. |
| “As far as positioning his car, it was textbook,” said Capt. Paul Starks, spokesman for the Montgomery County police. | “As far as positioning his car, it was textbook,” said Capt. Paul Starks, spokesman for the Montgomery County police. |
| As Leotta walked around the front corner of his car and opened his door, he was briefly exposed to traffic coming from behind him. | As Leotta walked around the front corner of his car and opened his door, he was briefly exposed to traffic coming from behind him. |
| It was at that moment that Reluzco, who was driving in the same far-right lane as the stopped police car, tried to veer to his left, investigators say. | It was at that moment that Reluzco, who was driving in the same far-right lane as the stopped police car, tried to veer to his left, investigators say. |
| But he didn’t veer widely enough. | But he didn’t veer widely enough. |
| “Investigators believe that due to Reluzco’s extreme intoxication, he was unable to react to the situation he was bearing down on,” Starks said. “He was cognitively and physically incapable to execute a single lane change.” | “Investigators believe that due to Reluzco’s extreme intoxication, he was unable to react to the situation he was bearing down on,” Starks said. “He was cognitively and physically incapable to execute a single lane change.” |
| Reluzco’s SUV struck the rear left corner of the police car, scraped along its side, and slammed into Leotta, who was trapped against the open door. | |
| The impact “bends the driver’s-side door that’s open all the way around to the front quarter panel of the car,” Roslund, the prosecutor, said in court. “Officer Leotta was hit and ultimately dies of his head injuries from that.” | The impact “bends the driver’s-side door that’s open all the way around to the front quarter panel of the car,” Roslund, the prosecutor, said in court. “Officer Leotta was hit and ultimately dies of his head injuries from that.” |
| The friendly, well-liked officer is survived by his parents and sister. | The friendly, well-liked officer is survived by his parents and sister. |
| Reluzco, of Olney, turned himself in Thursday after being indicted on the vehicular manslaughter charge. | |
| In court Friday, Montgomery Circuit Court Judge Robert Greenberg ordered that he be held on a $250,000 bond. If released, Greenberg said, Reluzco was to not drive and not serve alcohol at his job. | In court Friday, Montgomery Circuit Court Judge Robert Greenberg ordered that he be held on a $250,000 bond. If released, Greenberg said, Reluzco was to not drive and not serve alcohol at his job. |
| “They can find something else for him to do,” the judge said. | “They can find something else for him to do,” the judge said. |
| [Driver who hit officer charged with vehicular manslaughter] | [Driver who hit officer charged with vehicular manslaughter] |
| In Maryland, drivers tested at a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher are considered to be driving under the influence of alcohol. Officials at Mothers Against Drunk Driving say that, on average, a 160-pound man who drinks four beers in one hour gets to 0.08. | In Maryland, drivers tested at a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher are considered to be driving under the influence of alcohol. Officials at Mothers Against Drunk Driving say that, on average, a 160-pound man who drinks four beers in one hour gets to 0.08. |
| The case has “overwhelming evidence of gross negligence,” Roslund said. “It’s very strong.” | The case has “overwhelming evidence of gross negligence,” Roslund said. “It’s very strong.” |
| He said motor vehicle and court records indicate Reluzco has three prior DUI arrests dating to 1987. “He’s not been able to get that drinking under control,” Roslund said. | He said motor vehicle and court records indicate Reluzco has three prior DUI arrests dating to 1987. “He’s not been able to get that drinking under control,” Roslund said. |
| Roth said his client had beer and whiskey at Hooters. Roth said he intends to probe the accuracy and techniques used in blood tests that yielded the 0.22 reading. He said his client was born in Long Island to the parents of Cuban immigrants and moved to Montgomery County as a child. He went to public schools in the Olney area, including Sherwood High School, where he played baseball and football and wrestled, Roth said. | Roth said his client had beer and whiskey at Hooters. Roth said he intends to probe the accuracy and techniques used in blood tests that yielded the 0.22 reading. He said his client was born in Long Island to the parents of Cuban immigrants and moved to Montgomery County as a child. He went to public schools in the Olney area, including Sherwood High School, where he played baseball and football and wrestled, Roth said. |
| He attended Montgomery College briefly, before joining the Navy. He has held several positions at Bethesda County Club. “A jack of all trades,” Roth said. | |
| Four of Reluzco’s family members, including his wife, were in court Friday. They declined to comment afterward. | Four of Reluzco’s family members, including his wife, were in court Friday. They declined to comment afterward. |
| At the news conference, Montgomery Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said laws covering an incident such as the Reluzco case need to be toughened in Maryland. | At the news conference, Montgomery Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said laws covering an incident such as the Reluzco case need to be toughened in Maryland. |
| Reluzco faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Because of parole rules in the state, however, vehicular manslaughter is classified as a nonviolent offense, meaning he would be eligible for parole consideration after serving 25 percent of his sentence. | Reluzco faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Because of parole rules in the state, however, vehicular manslaughter is classified as a nonviolent offense, meaning he would be eligible for parole consideration after serving 25 percent of his sentence. |
| “It’s time for the people of this state to say enough is enough,” Manger said. “And even when someone is driving drunk and kills someone else, the penalties in the state are disgraceful.” | “It’s time for the people of this state to say enough is enough,” Manger said. “And even when someone is driving drunk and kills someone else, the penalties in the state are disgraceful.” |
| Roslund said in court that Reluzco told officers he had smoked marijuana on the day of the wreck, in addition to drinking. Blood test results after the crash, however, did not uncover signs of cannabis, according to Reluzco’s attorney. | Roslund said in court that Reluzco told officers he had smoked marijuana on the day of the wreck, in addition to drinking. Blood test results after the crash, however, did not uncover signs of cannabis, according to Reluzco’s attorney. |