Man sentenced to 8 years in prison after ramming and killing McAlester police officer

A Tulsa County judge sentences a man to eight years in prison for ramming and killing a McAlester police officer.

Martin Rodriguez was in the country illegally when he caused the crash, while the officer was taking part in a funeral procession in Glenpool last year.

Officer Barlow had just joined the McAlester Police Honor Guard, and on his first assignment, he was escorting a fallen police captain when he was struck and killed. Rodriguez's attorney calls it a tragic accident and says Rodriguez is sorry for the pain he caused.

Rodriguez pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter for crossing Highway 75, driving through a barrier and crashing into Barlow's police cruiser last March. Barlow died three days later. Barlow was escorting McAlester Police Capt. Richard Parker to a funeral home in Tulsa. Investigators say Rodriguez did not notice that cars had stopped along the highway to pay their respects and that when Rodriguez braked suddenly, he lost control. Rodriguez was also driving without a license.

Officer Barlow served eight years in the Army and nearly two years on the McAlester Police Department.

“Most of our vehicular homicide cases involve some level of intoxication, which is not the case in this case. This is a distinctive detail of this case that was considered in the negotiations for plea,” said Deputy Tulsa County Prosecutor Kevin Keller.

Rodriguez's attorney, Carlos Williams, says it was a tragic accident, but says Rodriguez understands his punishment.

“My client is just devastated by this incident, by the way it happened. He is devastated and saddened for the family that it affected and for everyone involved,” Williams said.

Rodriguez will be automatically deported to his home country after serving his eight-year prison sentence.