Driver Accused of Driving Drunk, Killing Montgomery County Officer Pleads Guilty

The driver who police say struck and killed a Maryland police officer -- while driving with a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit and with evidence of marijuana and Xanax in his system -- pleaded guilty Wednesday.

Luis Gustavo Reluzco, 48, of Olney, agreed to the plea to vehicular manslaughter last month.

Noah Leotta, 24, was critically injured the evening of Dec. 3, 2015, after  volunteering to work on a special holiday drunk-driving patrol. He had stopped a suspected drunken driver at Rockville Pike and Edmonston Drive in Rockville, Maryland, and was outside his cruiser when Reluzco smashed into the police car and then struck him, police said.

Leotta was rushed to a hospital but died on Dec. 10.

“Not having to go to trial alleviates some of that pain and suffering of going through all the details that we had a synopsis version of today,” his father, Rich Leotta, said. “So that’s what it does. But the pain and suffering of losing our son doesn’t change no matter what happens today or any other day. We’ve still lost our son, and he’s not coming back to us no matter what we do.”

Reluzco had been indicted on charges of manslaughter by automobile and failing to move over for an emergency vehicle. The "move over" charge was dropped in the plea agreement, court documents quoted by the Washington Post indicated.

He has been jailed since he was arrested. “He’s trying to do the right thing,” his attorney, John Roth, told the Post. “He’s never run away from accepting responsibility for his actions.”

Reluzco had at least three previous alcohol-related arrests, police said in February.

“He’s not somebody who cared about anybody else on the road,” Rich Leotta said in furious remarks he delivered after Reluzco's bond hearing. "All he cared about was having drinks and getting drunk. He didn’t care about any human life that was on the road. All he wanted to do was get his high or whatever he was doing. And we know that he has done this before in the past.”

Reluzco admitted drinking beer and bourbon for about three hours Dec. 3, police said.

Moments after getting behind the wheel, Reluzco slammed into Leotta and sideswiped his police car before coming to a stop, never realizing he hit the officer, investigators said.

Since that night, Reluzuco has struggled with the consequences of his actions, Roth said.

“He spends the bulk of his time praying for Mr. Leotta and trying to seek amends in any way that he can,” Roth said.

But the Leotta family says remorse and regret won't bring back their son.

The tragedy turned Leotta's family into activists, who campaigned for stronger punishment of drunk drivers in Maryland. Their campaign succeeded last month, when "Noah's Law" passed the Maryland Senate and House.

The law requires convicted drunken drivers to use ignition interlock devices on their cars. Drivers would have to pass a Breathalyzer test before their car could start.

Reluzco's sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 23. He faces up to 10 years in prison.