Dave Sweet

WMAL.com

WASHINGTON — (WMAL) Montgomery County Police Officer Noah Leotta passed away Thursday morning after being struck by a suspected drunk driver during a traffic stop on December 3. He was 24 years old.

“He was a very hard-working, enthusiastic young officer” said Montgomery County Police Captain Paul Starks. “He had only been on the force for about three years.”

Starks says Leotta had a knack for police work and was especially passionate about enforcing drunk and impaired driving laws. On December 3 he was working as a member of the Holiday DUI task in Rockville when he pulled over a car along Rockville Pike. Soon after he’d gotten out of his cruiser an SUV slammed into him from behind.

The driver of the SUV, a Honda-CRV, was Gustavo Reluzco, 47. He was detained for “suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.” He has not yet been charged according to Captain Starks.

“I remember him as a very friendly, outgoing, caring person,” said William Gregory, Principal of Leotta’s alma mater Sherwood High School in Sandy Spring. “From the moment the accident happened we’ve just been heart broken.”

Gregory says he remembers Leotta as an “incredibly nice, quiet student” who played for the golf team and grew up to become a prominent member of the community both as a citizen and police officer.

Funeral plans for Noah Leotta are pending, according to Captain Starks, and will be handled entirely by Leotta’s family.

(Photo: officer.com)