A routine traffic stop on Interstate 30 in Sulphur Springs New Year’s Eve lead to recovery of a vehicle allegedly stolen from Dallas Dec. 30, discovery of suspected crack cocaine and two felony arrests, according to arrest reports.
Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Arturo Ugalde reported stopping a Toyota Rav4 at mile marker 120 on Interstate 30 at 9:40 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019, for a defective high mounted stop light.
The driver was identified as Brenda Arzola Eupracio of Dallas and the passenger as 35-year-old Jose Madeo Ramirez of Irving.
The trooper observed indicators of what he believed to be possible criminal activity during a roadside interview, according to arrest reports. Driver Arzola Eupracio did not have a driver’s license, Ugalde noted in arrest reports.
“A check of Ramirez’s identifying information showed Ramirez to be a registered sex offenders and known criminal gang member. The driver, identified as Brenda Arzola Eupracio, stated Ramirez had been living with her in the Dallas area for the last four weeks,” Ugalde wrote in arrest reports.
Ugalde reported contacting Irving police, with whom Ramirez was registered as a sex offender. Irving police advised Ramirez had last checked in during June of 2019, and no updates regarding his address had been made since, Ugalde alleged in arrest reports.
When asked, neither Arizola Eupracio nor Ramirez could provide the name of the vehicle’s owner; both also allegedly gave different versions of how they came into possession of the gray 2003 model sport utility vehicle, Ugalde alleged in arrest reports.
With further investigation, the owner of the SUV was determined to be a McKinney resident, according to arrest reports. The trooper contacted McKinney police, who reportedly contacted the father of the vehicle owner. The identified owner’s father allegedly told authorities the car of his son, who is currently in the hospital, was stolen in Dallas the previous afternoon. He told authorities they’d tried to report the vehicle to Dallas police as stolen, but a report had not yet been completed, Ugalde alleged in arrest reports.
Consequently, Arzola Eupracio was taken into custody for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and no driver’s license, and Ramirez was jailed for failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements, according to arrest reports. The vehicle was impounded for storage by a local towing service, according to arrest reports.
Ugalde reported asking Arzola Eupracio is she had any illegal substances on her upon arrival at the jail. Arzola Eupracio allegedly admitted to having a pipe and possibly crack cocaine. Jail staff during a search did indeed locate a pipe and a baggy containing suspected crack cocaine on her, resulting in additional charges of possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, Ugalde alleged in arrest reports.
