José R. Ortiz Santiago
Agency patch
Police Officer

José R. Ortiz Santiago

Puerto Rico Police Department — San Juan, 127
Accident
End of Watch May 26, 2000
Age 46
The Vigil Panel 147 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Jose Ortiz Santiago was killed during a traffic collision in Caguas, Puerto Rico.

This collision occurred when Officer Ortiz Santiago and his partner were traveling to investigate a shooting. A speeding truck over turned and landed on top of the passenger side of the police vehicle, killing the officer. The driver of the police vehicle was transported to a local hospital in stable condition.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-PR-623358BA
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Ortiz Santiago served with the Puerto Rico Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the San Juan community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Ortiz Santiago.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location San Juan, 127
Platform Identity prpd.pr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 26, 2000
Age 46
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Police Officer José R. Ortiz Santiago is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In 127, 85 of 388 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 21.9% of this state's fallen. That is 21.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Puerto Rico Police Department, 77 of 364 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 21.2% of this agency's fallen.

Puerto Rico Police Department
77
of 364 officers
21.2% Accident
127 — Statewide
85
of 388 officers
21.9% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. José R. Ortiz Santiago's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How José R. Ortiz Santiago Compares

Age at Death
46
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. José R. Ortiz Santiago is highlighted in May.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
708
May
848
Jun
797
Jul
899
Aug
938
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897