SAN ANTONIO – The KSAT-12 Defenders have obtained documents that shed light on the death of an off-duty Bexar County sheriff's deputy killed by an alleged drunken driver.
Deputy Richard Hammock was driving his motorcycle on I-35 in the early morning hours of April 2 when he ran into a truck that had crashed.
According to a police report obtained by the Defenders, the crash happened just after 2 a.m. on a stretch of I-35 near Selma.
According to a DPS trooper's report, the truck was driven by Seth Allen Ramos, 21. It's alleged in the report that Ramos had been drinking that night and lost control of the truck.
The vehicle crossed an entrance ramp lane and struck the outside concrete wall. The truck then shot across the highway and smashed into the center median wall, sliding across the top part of the wall before rolling onto its side and then coming to a stop in the far left lane.
Sometime after that initial crash, Hammock, traveling in the far left lane, slammed into the truck, sending the bike and Hammock through the cab's rear window.
Based on the report, it's unknown if Hammock saw the wrecked truck or if he attempted to avoid it.
The report does not say how fast either driver was going.
Hammock's death came two months after he was involved in another deadly accident while on patrol.
On Feb. 2, Hammock was speeding when he struck and killed Lawrence Kindel, 33, as he was walking on Donop Road in Southeast Bexar County.
The accident report partially blamed Kindel for the accident because he was walking on the poorly lit road, wearing dark clothes and didn't move out of the way of Hammock's patrol car.
An investigation by the county's accident review board found that while the crash was preventable, there was no criminal wrongdoing by Hammock.
Hammock was transferred from patrol duty to court security and had just started that new job when he was killed.
Investigators have requested toxicology reports on Hammock and Ramos, but they're still awaiting the results.
It appears there was enough evidence to suggest Ramos had been drinking and he was issued a citation for intoxication manslaughter.
Ramos will face those charges in Guadalupe County. He's currently recovering from his injuries at a rehabilitation facility.