The young woman was less than a year into her deputy career.
Courtesy of the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office
In the wake of the death of a 20-year-old Bexar County deputy, Meredith Portillo, several local law enforcement agencies have shared condolences, showing the impact the loss has had on the field. Portillo was killed in a reported wrong-way driving crash while off duty Sunday, July 21.
“It is with great sadness to report that Deputy Meredith Portillo, 20, lost her life earlier this morning as a result of a fatal accident involving a suspected wrong way driver along IH-37 S and Donop Rd in South Bexar County,” the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a statement on Facebook. “Deputy Portillo, who was off duty, had two other occupants in the vehicle at the time when they were struck by the wrong way driver. Deputy Portillo and one passenger were killed upon impact…”
The announcement was met with saddened responses from both the community and the law enforcement field in and around the greater San Antonio area. Both the Schertz and Converse police departments – nestled on the far Northeast Side of Bexar County – sent out heartfelt messages after the loss of the young deputy.
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“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office who lost a deputy in an overnight crash,” the Saint Hedwig Marshal’s Office posted on Facebook, noting the short-lived career of the now deceased 20-year-old deputy. “We ask that you keep Deputy Portillo’s family in your thoughts and prayers, as well as the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.”
It wasn’t just local law enforcement that poured at words of support for both the sheriff’s office and those who knew Portillo personally. Several community members commented on posts sending words of support to the family and loved ones impacted by the loss of the young woman.
“So sorry to hear this. Sincere condolences to her home and work families. May the perpetual light shine upon her and her passenger. Godspeed recovery for the 3rd person as well,” LinLee San Flo commented on the sheriff’s office post about the tragic loss, offering up a potential solution to ensure such tragedies don’t continue. “IF we can have cars that can alert us of objects in the pathway, we should have cars do the same, or even shut down when entering the highway the wrong way. Or spikes that are angled to only puncture wrong way drivers at the very least!”
Portillo began her career in law enforcement with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office when she was just 19 years old in September of last year. She graduated from the detention academy in January of this year and had just started her career in the industry with less than a year on the job.
In all, three people were killed in the fiery crash reported in the early hours of Sunday, July 21. San Antonio Police Department officials said in a preliminary report that they received a call for a pickup truck, which they later discovered was a Ford F-150 traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of IH-37 at Loop 1604 at about 1:50 a.m. Police said a few minutes later the truck crashed head on into a black 2024 Ford Mustang.
The F-150 rolled over after the collision with the Mustang and caught fire. The driver of the F-150 died in the fire, San Antonio police said. The driver of the Mustang also died at the scene. The person sitting in the passenger side of the Mustang was sent to a local hospital with serious bodily injury. There was a third person in the back seat passenger side of the Mustang, and that person died in the Emergency Medical Services vehicle.
“Oh man, her life was just starting,” Jennie Ann Wendt commented on the BCSO post. “I’m hugging her and her family so hard right now.”
Zachary-Taylor Wright is a local native, spending half his time in the Texas Hill Country, namely Boerne, and the Alamo City. He fell in love with politics and news reporting during his time at San Antonio College where he was the editor of the college district newspaper. Now, he’s back in the city where it all began. Follow him on Twitter at @Zachthereporte
