Austin officer accused of faking his own death resigns

AUSTIN, Texas - A Texas police officer has resigned after allegedly trying to fake his own death and fleeing to Mexico.

The Austin American-Statesman and KVUE-TV report that 29-year-old Coleman Martin delivered his resignation letter on Wednesday to the Austin Police Department. He had been placed on restricted duty pending investigation.  

Court documents allege that Martin told his wife that he planned to drown himself. She reported him missing on April 25, and investigators found his abandoned truck near a lake the next day.

A woman later told authorities that she received an email from Martin that said he staged his death and fled to Mexico.

Martin was arrested at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in May. Authorities say he was on a flight returning from Colombia.

Martin faces a misdemeanor charge of causing a false alarm.