Former Texas firefighter sentenced for DWI crash that injured 2 children

Eddie Ehrenzweig, 46, pleaded guilty to intoxication assault a few weeks ago before 111th District Judge Monica Z. Notzon

June 19, 2019 12:46 PM

He will do 400 hours of community service, participate in Bridging the Gap, take a defensive driving class, attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and have ignition interlock in his vehicle for six months.

Cesar Rodriguez
Laredo Morning Times, Texas

LAREDO, Texas — A Laredo firefighter who was drunk when he caused a four-vehicle crash that injured two children has received a probated sentence, according to court documents.

Eddie Ehrenzweig, 46, pleaded guilty to intoxication assault a few weeks ago before 111th District Judge Monica Z. Notzon. She handed down a 10-year probated sentence for Ehrenzweig.

He will do 400 hours of community service, participate in Bridging the Gap, take a defensive driving class, attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and have ignition interlock in his vehicle for six months, among other conditions.

Ehrenzweig was placed on administrative duties after his arrest on April 18, 2018.

When indicted in September, he was placed on temporary suspension without pay/benefits in accordance with Texas Civil Service Law, according to the Laredo Fire Department.

Ehrenzweig resigned from the fire department the morning he entered his plea in court, the department said. He was a 19-year veteran.

Authorities said the crash occurred at about 8:17 p.m. March 17, 2018, in the 5200 block of Bob Bullock Loop by the traffic light at the entrance of the Laredo International Airport parking lot.

Ehrenzweig was traveling south in a Ford F-250 when he failed to control speed and rear-ended a black Nissan Altima that was parked at the traffic light, authorities said.

The black Altima then hit a white Nissan Altima, which in turn hit a gray Dodge Ram 1500, according to court documents. The occupants of the black Altima were a man, his wife and their two children ages 2 and 3. The wife was 32 weeks pregnant, according to Laredo police.

She and her 2-year-old daughter were released from the hospital with minor injuries. But the 3-year-old was airlifted to University Hospital in San Antonio due to head trauma, states an arrest affidavit.

Ehrenzweig had a blood alcohol content of 0.19. The legal limit in Texas is 0.08. He was on his way home from the Tilted Kilt Sports Bar at the time of the crash, according to court documents. He allegedly told a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game warden that he had consumed “five or six beers.”

———