He was transporting a 15-year-old to the Atascosa Juvenile Detention Facility on April 12, when he crossed over into on-coming traffic and collided head-on with a flat-bed pickup truck. Villarreal was pronounced dead at the scene, and both the teenager and the other driver, 28-year-old Anthony Cantu, suffered critical injuries, but survived.
Last week, the toxicology report revealed that the officer had both methamphetamine and the over-the-counter painkiller naproxen in his system at the time of the crash.
Pearsall Police Chief Paul Zepeda has stated he is requesting full and thorough drug tests of everyone in the department and intends to look into testing officers randomly following the initial test. He maintains that Villarreal was an “excellent officer” who never showed any signs of drug abuse.
“Just today, myself and our narcotics sergeant had a meeting with the local drug rehabilitation place to see if we can put something in place here within the department. Some kind of check and balance so that officers that do have substance abuse problems can go there to get treated," Capt. Jim Taylor told the local Fox affiliate.
The captain also asserted that he hopes the findings do not taint the late officer's reputation.
It is unclear whether the department will offer the same resources and compassionate attitude to low-level drug offenders who do not carry a badge.
