Fort Worth DWI Officer Fired for Drunken Driving

Police officials have fired a DWI enforcement officer whose arrest in January on suspicion of drunken driving came amid a string of similar charges against Fort Worth officers and prompted a tough response by the department.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports a disciplinary letter filed Thursday indicates Nicolas Ramirez's firing took effect earlier in the week.

Ramirez, 32, was off-duty and driving north of Fort Worth when his vehicle was spotted by an officer drifting off the road. Ramirez was arrested on suspicion of DWI after failing a field sobriety test. He's been free on $1,500 bond since shortly after his arrest.

Stella Lopez, whose daughter Sonia Baker was killed in a crash with an officer who was later convicted of intoxication manslaughter, said after Ramirez's arrest that Fort Worth Chief of Police Jeffrey Halstead needed to get tough and fire officers who break the law.

Halstead said at the time that he judges each case individually, but said Ramirez's arrest would be handled quickly and that he would fire any officer internal investigators determine had driven while drunk.

Ramirez's attorney could not be immediately reached for comment.

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