Local police and first responders are mourning the death of 52-year-old Rochester Police Officer Manny Ortiz, who died in a one-car crash Saturday evening on Empire Boulevard in Penfield.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and Rochester Police both say the officer was on his way to work just after 7:00 p.m. Saturday when his SUV veered off the road and crashed into a ravine. Officer Ortiz was dead at the scene. His vehicle is being processed for evidence and the Monroe County Medical Examiner will rule on the cause of death.
Ortiz was a crime prevention officer and well-known for his work in the Rochester community. First responders continue to receive peer support and assistance as they process his sudden death.
Police say they’re also grateful to good Samaritans who were on the road behind Officer Ortiz when his car crashed and who ran to render aid before first responders got there.