A Border Patrol agent was killed Tuesday night in Douglas when he crashed the ATV he was riding into a light pole, officials say.
Agent Freddy Ortiz, 44, was responding a call just after 7 p.m. when he swerved off the road and smashed into the pole, said a news release Wednesday evening from the Cochise County Sheriff's Department.
Ortiz was pronounced dead at the hospital, the release said.
Ortiz was assigned to the Douglas station within the Border Patrol's Tucson sector, officials said.
“U.S. Border Patrol Agent Freddy Ortiz’s on-duty death is a tragedy and a stark reminder of the dangerous nature of our mission," John Modlin, the sector's chief patrol agent, said in the news release. "I am grateful for all the Border Patrol Agents, first responders, and medical staff who attempted to save his life. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and loved ones.”
The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office and U.S Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility continue to investigate, the release said.
