A memorial service for a Dallas police officer who was killed last week in a crash involving a wrong-way driver was held in Richardson Wednesday morning.
Officer Jacob Arellano, 25, was on his way to work on Oct. 11 when his car was struck head-on by a suspected intoxicated driver. Arellano, who had been with the Dallas Police Department for the last three years, was killed in the crash.
Visitation and a rosary began at 10 a.m. and were followed by a public memorial service at 11 a.m. Both services were being held at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Richardson.
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Hundreds gathered to celebrate the young officer, a doting new father, a fiancé, beloved by his family, both blood and blue.
Several members of the Dallas Police Department spoke during the service.
The El Paso native and former New Mexico State University football player joined DPD in 2019 and worked in the Northwest Division.
“His brothers and sisters describe him as reserved, respectful, professional, always polished with a smile that was contagious,” said Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia during the funeral mass.
Arellano, he said, was a "family man through and through."
Though he was bad with directions and was always in need of a map, he was known for his calm demeanor and eagerness to listen to those he came into contact with.
“We worked to prevent the very type of crash that took his life,” said Garcia. “He sacrificed that night and prevented someone else from being injured on that roadway.”
Garcia said the department is still making a determination as to whether Arellano’s death will be considered an "in-duty death," which comes with certain benefits.
“Rest easy, brother. We’ll take it from here,” said Garcia at the end of his eulogy.
“My brother Jacob was an honorable man,” said the officer’s twin brother and fellow DPD officer Joshua Arellano during Wednesday’s service.
Joshua spoke of the special bond he had with his twin, from dressing alike to playing football together.
“Ever since we were born, we had a bond that no one could understand,” he said.
Joshua also opened up about the fateful call he received last Tuesday night, informing him of the crash his brother had been in while on his way to work.
“When I got that call about what had happened to him, I knew everything was going to be OK,” he said. “He was talking to me, telling me not to worry.”
Arellano will be honored at another funeral and be laid to rest on Friday in his hometown of El Paso.
"This is a tragedy for our department," Garcia said this past Wednesday when he publicly announced Arellano's death.
According to the Dallas Police Department, Arellano was in the middle lane of Spur 408 near Kiest Boulevard when a driver in a sedan headed northbound in the southbound lanes crashed into his SUV.
Arellano was in uniform and driving to work for his first watch shift in the Northwest Patrol Division.
The driver in the other vehicle, Mayra Rebollar, 31, remains in the hospital and has been charged with intoxication manslaughter.
Police say Rebollar's blood alcohol content was, between .20 and .22, which is more than twice the legal limit for alcohol.
She remains in the hospital with broken legs and a broken hip.
She's being held on a $500,000 bond.
