SAPD officer's wife arrested in hit-and-run that left him in coma

Diana Lopez arrested; Officer Ernesto Vasquez injured while off-duty

SAN ANTONIO – The wife of a San Antonio police officer who was critically injured in a hit-and-run that left him in a coma has been arrested.

Diana Lopez, 26, was arrested in Laredo and was charged with failure to stop and render aid, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said Tuesday.

Officer Ernesto Vasquez was off duty when he was hit by an SUV while he was attempting to walk across the 12600 block of Blanco Road around 11 p.m. on New Year's Eve.

"It was definitely his car," McManus said. "(We) had probable cause based on forensic evidence and witness statements that led us to her in Laredo."

McManus said the couple was legally married but couldn't say if they had a history of marital issues.

WATCH: Full interview with McManus

Lopez will be transported to Bexar County after she appears before a magistrate in Laredo.

McManus said that Lopez didn't visit her husband in the hospital. Vasquez remains in a long-term rehabilitation facility.

"He is still non-responsive," McManus said.


About the Author:

David Ibañez has been managing editor of KSAT.com since the website's launch in October 2000.