Joseph Zamarron

Police Officer Jose Zamarron was struck by a drunk driver and killed while investigating a minor accident. Officer Zamarron and his partner were talking to two off-duty officers working a uniform off-duty assignment at 12774 Market Street when they witnessed a two-vehicle accident. While the officers were assessing the damage to the vehicles Officer Zamarron was struck by a drunk driving at a high rate of speed. The driver then proceeded to strike several more vehicles before coming to a stop. Officer Zamarron was rushed to Northshore Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The driver of the vehicle was charged with involuntary manslaughter, possession of a controlled substance, and carrying a weapon after several guns and drugs were found in their vehicle at the time of their arrest. The suspect made a bond but the bond was forfeited after failing to show up to court on February 23, 1982, to answer for the involuntary manslaughter charge. The suspect was arrested by Houston Police on March 30, 1982, when officers responded to a trailer after neighbors called for the front door to be open. The suspect was convicted after trial and sentenced to three years in prison for striking and killing Officer Zamarron and was released in 1985 after serving their time. Officer Zamarron was a U.S Army veteran of the Vietnam war and had served with the Houston Police Department for less than five years,