Transit Officer Killed in Crash; Suspect Held : Crime: An allegedly drunk driver is arrested on suspicion of murder.

A 29-year-old transit police officer was killed Sunday by an allegedly drunk driver who ran a red light and smashed into an RTD patrol car, authorities said Monday.

The death of Edward Reed marked the first fatality in the line of duty in the 14-year history of the Southern California Rapid Transit District police.

Alfredo Martinez, 21, was arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with Reed’s death. Bail for Martinez, who remained in jail Monday, was set at $1 million.

At 1:23 a.m. Sunday, a maroon car was traveling at a high rate of speed westbound on Central Avenue. The driver of the car attempted to turn right on 42nd street, where Reed and another transit police officer were driving northbound on patrol. The maroon car crashed into the patrol car, which was slammed into a pole. Reed, who sat on the passenger side, was killed instantly.

“The right front side of the car was demolished,” said RTD spokesman Greg Davy. “It was just totally crunched in on that side.”

The other officer, Eric Waterman, 25, was treated for a fractured vertebra at USC Medical Center.

The driver fled on foot after the accident. He was picked up by another driver and taken to his home, where he was arrested later Sunday by the Los Angeles Police Department, said Davy.

Reed became engaged to be married several weeks ago. He was a native of Washington state and joined the transit police force in December, 1991.

“Yesterday was really hard for us,” said Officer Linda Slaughter of the transit police. “It’s the first death. It was really hard emotionally but we have to still go out there and do what we’re supposed to do. We’ll miss him.”

RTD Police Chief Sharon Papa said that Reed’s death had nothing to do with his duties as an officer.

“It makes me angry that innocent people get killed by drunk drivers. ,” Papa said. It had nothing to do with being a police officer. But it had to do with being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”