Testimony: Alcohol Caused Fatal Officer-Involved Wreck

In testimony Wednesday, an accident investigator said a former Fort Worth police officer's intoxication is to blame for a fatal car crash.

Jesus Cisneros, a former undercover narcotics officer, is charged with intoxication manslaughter in the death of a 27-year-old mother.

Sonia Baker died in December when a city-issued sport utility vehicle driven by Cisneros slammed into her.

Prosecutors say the crash came after Cisneros attended a birthday party for a fellow officer at a Fort Worth bar. Video recorded at the party show him drinking heavily, prosecutors said.

Accident investigator Tim Lovett testified Wednesday that alcohol caused the wreck.

"So I can't believe that it's a competent decision to drive 76 miles per hour on Columbus Trail," he said. "The only way I've got to understand that is that it has to be due to lower inhibitions and due to intoxication."

Lovett said he determined that Baker's car could have safely cleared the intersection if Cisneros had not been speeding.

"If we slow the Highlander down to 35 mph, there is no contact between these two vehicles," he said.

The defense has suggested that the crash was unavoidable because Baker pulled in front of Cisneros.

Testimony from the defense is expected Thursday.

NBCDFW's Ken Kalthoff contributed to this report.


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