Funeral held for Waller County deputy killed in line of duty on Halloween

(FOX 26) - A funeral was held Thursday for a Waller County deputy killed in the line of duty.

Deputy Loren Vasquez was killed in a crash while responding to a high priority water rescue call during the strong storms Halloween night.

The Waller County Sheriff told FOX 26 Deputy Vasquez was someone with a servant’s heart.

“Such a young dedicated person that’s full of life, ready to start her career—it’s devastating,” said Sheriff Glenn Smith.

The Waller County Sheriff’s Office was joined by hundreds of law enforcement officers from throughout the region who were at the funeral in Hockley to mourn with the family of Deputy Vasquez.

She was just 23 years old and on her third solo shift as a new deputy when she was killed. The sheriff says her car appears to have hydroplaned on the wet road, rolled, and landed submerged in water.

“Our whole shift never thought in a million years we would have a connection like we did with Loren,” Deputy Marcos Zepeda told the crowd at the funeral. “We considered her the shift baby sister.”

Deputy Vasquez’ boyfriend was too emotional to speak at the funeral. A friend read a statement for him: “Two weeks ago I asked Loren’s father for permission to marry his daughter. This weekend would have been the proposal. I knew she would have said yes.”

He told the crowed the music they played at the funeral included the song that she wanted to play at their wedding: ‘I Don’t Dance’ by Lee Brice.

Deputy Vasquez was also a volunteer firefighter.

She was remembered with full military style honors outside the church after the funeral.

“She wanted to be a public servant, and you could just see it in her eyes, and we gave her that chance,” said Sheriff Smith. “It’s a heart breaking episode.”

The chaplain mentioned during the funeral that as a law enforcement hero, Deputy Loren Vasquez’ name will be listed on the wall in Washington, D.C. and on the wall in Austin.