Full Story on Officer Motorcycle Crash

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Dallas officer dies in motorcycle crash

Off-duty accident claims man who loved police work, inspired

others to follow

04/16/2001

By / The Dallas Morning News

As a child, Israel " Izzy " Sarmiento appointed himself

" peacekeeper " in his Texas border town of Progreso.

When he died early Sunday after crashing his motorcycle,

family members said he was living out his dream of keeping the peace as a part

of the Dallas Police Department.

Senior Cpl. Sarmiento loved his job so much he encouraged two

brothers, cousins and childhood friends to join the Police Department.

Family members gathered Sunday afternoon at the south Grand

Prairie home of Dallas police Senior Cpl. Saul Sarmiento, Israel Sarmiento's

brother, to mourn and remember.

" The police kind of, well, it ran in their blood. He loved his

job, " said Saul Sarmiento's wife, Sarmiento. " You know how the kids play

cops and robbers? He always played the cop. He was always the good guy. "

Israel Sarmiento, 38, died just after midnight when he lost

control of his Harley-son on a ramp leading to the Dallas North Tollway

near the ford Road intersection in Collin County. The Department of Public

Safety is investigating the accident.

Family members said they were unsure where Israel Sarmiento, a

tactical officer for 10 years, was going or where he had been. He was not on

duty at the time of the crash.

Dallas police Lt. hill of the Traffic Division

said the DPS would review videotape taken at the tollbooth.

" He came through the tollbooth, hit the curb, lost control,

hit the guardrail and was thrown from the bike and killed, " Lt. hill said.

" This is a tragedy. He was an outgoing person, popular with other officers and a

very good officer. "

Police did not find a helmet at the scene, but family members

said he always wore one.

A state police dispatcher said no other vehicles were

involved.

Israel Sarmiento and his 14 brothers and sisters, which

include two sets of twins, called Progreso home. As migrant workers, the

Sarmientos moved from state to state picking cotton and other crops.

" They looked at him as a role model, " Ms. Sarmiento said of

the officer's siblings and cousins. " He was the first one to join the force. He

encouraged his brothers and his cousins to join the force. Two of his childhood

friends just joined recently. "

He and cousin Augustin ez, who joined the Dallas police

academy in January, moved to the Dallas area in 1986. They slept in a van, ate

bologna sandwiches and bathed at gas stations until they found work, Mr.

ez said, smiling at the memories.

Israel Sarmiento joined the department in 1988; his cousin

Sarmiento followed in 1991. His brothers twins and Saul joined in

1994 and 1995, respectively. All are senior corporals.

Israel Sarmiento is survived by two daughters - , 4, and

, 9, who live in South Texas. His marriage to a former Dallas police

officer recently ended in divorce.

" Those two were his pride and joy, " said his sister

Sarmiento by telephone from her home in Progreso. " He made every effort to be

here with them. Every holiday and every program, he tried to be here. "

Family members said that after his children, his motorcycle

was a top priority.

During visits to Progreso, Israel Sarmiento took his

daughters, nieces and nephews for rides.

" His second true love was his bike, " Sarmiento said.

" He had a Harley-son. He died on it. "

Dallas police officers who knew the senior corporal gathered

outside the Grand Prairie home Sunday.

Family members and other officers described him as hyperactive

about his job.

" I think he gave more than what he took from the Police

Department, " said Officer Tony of the southwest division. " He was a good

officer. Always attentive. Always careful. He was a great joy to work with. "

Police Chief Terrell Bolton arrived at the accident scene

around 1:30 a.m.

" Going into Easter Sunday, I was praying for a safe and quiet

weekend, and then we find out we've lost one of our best, " Chief Bolton said.

" You never know when something like this is going to happen, and it never gets

easy. "

Funeral Home Chapel is handling funeral arrangements.

Visitation will be Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., with a prayer service at 7

p.m.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at First Hispanic

Baptist Church in Duncanville. Burial will be in South Texas.

Staff writer Drake Witham contributed to this story.

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