SAPD officer suspended after throwing flashlight at cars during accident investigation
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A San Antonio police officer was suspended for more than a month after he allegedly threw his flashlight at passing cars during a traffic incident in August, according to suspension documents.
A San Antonio police officer was suspended for more than a month after he allegedly threw his flashlight at passing cars during a traffic incident in August, according to suspension documents.
Photo: Ken Branca
A San Antonio police officer was suspended for more than a month after he allegedly threw his flashlight at passing cars during a traffic incident in August, according to suspension documents.
A San Antonio police officer was suspended for more than a month after he allegedly threw his flashlight at passing cars during a traffic incident in August, according to suspension documents.
Photo: Ken Branca
A San Antonio police officer was suspended for more than a month after he allegedly threw his flashlight at passing cars during a traffic incident in August, according to suspension documents.
Officer Reuben Ramirez was given a 30-day suspension, from Jan. 25 and Feb. 23 of this year, after a woman complained that he damaged her windshield with his flashlight.
Ramirez was on-duty working the scene of an accident near the 4900 block of E. Houston Street on Aug. 21 when he threw his flashlight at two cars, according to reports from the San Antonio Fire Fighters’ and Police Officers’ Civil Service Commission.
In the first incident, he hit a Chevy Avalanche pickup truck after it failed to follow his direction, documents said.
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After hitting the pickup, Ramirez yelled at the driver and questioned him whether he was under the influence before letting him leave the scene.
Ramirez later threw his flashlight again, this time at a Ford Escape that also failed to follow his direction. The flashlight hit the windshield, damaging the glass, the documents said. Similar to the first driver, the officer yelled at the driver but then allowed her to leave the scene.
The woman, however, returned to the scene, complaining of the damage Ramirez did to her vehicle. It was only after she returned to complain that he wrote her a traffic citation, according to the documents. The woman later filed criminal charges of reckless damage.
Officials said Ramirez didn’t use sound judgment when he threw the flashlight or when he questioned the first driver’s sobriety without investigating, the documents said.
Ramirez violated SAPD’s responsibility to serve the public, and conduct and behavior policies.
Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, MySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | [email protected] | @TaylorPettaway
