- Former police officer Leopoldo Azuara was found guilty last Thursday by a court judge in Mexico
- Azuara fired multiple shots during the October 2021 chase of actor Octavio Ocaña, who accidentally shot himself in the head and crashed his SUV
- Ocaña was best known for his role as a child actor in the sitcom Vecinos
A police officer has been found guilty in connection with the death of actor Octavio Ocaña during a car chase in Mexico.
Leopoldo Azuara was convicted last Thursday by a court in the state of Mexico of abuse of power and serious murder charges.
He was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday for a sentencing hearing.
“A police officer is not exempt from prosecution. This case is a historical case, why? Because justice was achieved,” Ocaña’s sister, Bertha Ocaña, told reporters after Azuara was found liable.
Ocaña, who was 22 years old at the time, fled from police in his SUV with two friends on board when they tried to apprehend him on October 29, 2021, in the municipality of Cuautitlan Izcalli, Mexico State.
A police officer in Mexico was found guilty Thursday of the 2021 death of actor Octavio Ocaña, who died after a chase that ended with him accidentally shooting himself after the convicted officer's partner rammed his vehicle into Ocaña's car.
Former police officer Leopoldo Azuara was convicted of abuse of power and aggravated murder charges in connection with the death of actor Octavio Ocaña on October 29, 2021
Ocaña failed to comply with orders to stop as he was chased for an hour and forty minutes before Azuara fired several shots.
Azuara's partner, Gerardo Rodríguez, rammed their department vehicle into the actor's car, causing him to lose control.
Ocaña accidentally shot himself in the head with his own gun and crashed on the side of the road.
Mexico State Police alleged that Ocaña was drinking and driving with a loaded gun.
Video footage recorded by a bystander showed police at the vehicle with Ocaña semi-conscious and touching his face with his hand covered in blood.
A still image from a video filmed by a bystander showed actor Octavio Ocaña still conscious after accidentally shooting himself in the head following a crash during a police chase
Former Mexico State police officer Gerardo Rodríguez was driving the vehicle that crashed into actor Octavio Ocaña's SUV. He remains on the run
Officers in the state of Mexico stand by actor Octavio Ocaña's vehicle moments after he crashed on the road following an hour and 40 minute chase, during which a police officer fired multiple shots at Ocaña's SUV and his partner's vehicle into Ocaña's rammed.
A police officer stands over one of the two occupants who were riding in the vehicle driven by actor Octavio Ocaña before he accidentally shot himself in the head and crashed shortly after one of the officers rammed the department's SUV into Ocaña's vehicle.
One of his friends could be seen lying on the ground as he was about to be arrested.
Ocaña was rushed to a local medical facility, where he died.
Rodríguez was never arrested and is on the run. Mexico's attorney general is offering a $17,500 reward for information leading to his arrest.
Ocaña found stardom at the age of 6 in 2005 when he voiced the character of Benito in the Mexican sitcom Vecinos.
He took a break from his acting career in 2010 to focus on school and football and returned to the show in 2017.