Pedestrian killed by police cruiser

INDIANAPOLIS — An off-duty Indianapolis police officer struck and killed a pedestrian with his cruiser, and an investigator reported smelling alcohol on the officer’s breath, police said Friday.

The crash was reported late Thursday night on a street where, just four minutes earlier, a 911 caller had reported that a man wearing dark clothing was walking in traffic.

The officer, seven-year police veteran Bernardo Zavalza, was placed on administrative leave while the crash is investigated, police officials said Friday. The department in a statement expressed “our sincere condolences to the victim’s family.” The victim’s name hasn’t been released.

The officer stopped after striking the man and got out to help him, performing chest compressions, but the victim was declared dead at the scene, police spokesman Lt. Richard Riddle said earlier Friday. The officer also notified authorities that he had struck a pedestrian.

Officers were already heading to the scene because of the report of a man — believed to be the victim — walking in the road near an Interstate 65 interchange on the city’s south side, Riddle said.

A police supervisor at the scene smelled the odor of alcohol on the officer’s breath, Riddle said, adding that he didn’t know where the officer had been before the crash.

Zavalza was taken to a hospital for blood testing. Results were not available and the identity of the victim wasn’t immediately released.

The police department said results of its investigation into the crash would be given to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office for consideration of criminal charges.