Officer CarlosPuente-Morales Des Moines Police Dept. E.O.W. 03-26-2016

Officer Carlos Puente-Morales 

Des Moines Police Department

End of Watch: 3-26-16

Two Des Moines Police officers were killed in the line of duty on the morning of March 26, 2016 while transporting a prisoner. The prisoner and the driver of the second vehicle involved were also killed.

The crash happened on Interstate 80 near the Waukee exit at mile marker 117 around 12:40 a.m. The officers were driving eastbound, returning a prisoner from Council Bluffs to Des Moines when they were struck head on by a vehicle driving the wrong way on the interstate.

Police said Officer Susan Farrell, 30, and Officer Carlos Puente-Morales, 34, died in the crash. Both officers had just graduated from the police academy in October of 2015.

Officer Farrell worked for Polk County Sheriff's Office for years before joining the Des Moines Police Department.

Officer Puente-Morales was an officer in Ottumwa before working for Des Moines police. He was a member of the Iowa National Guard.

Both officers were, "very well respected and committed to community service."