SAN ANTONIO – An San Antonio firefighter nearly lost his job after a department investigation of his DWI arrest, but had the discipline reduced to a 75-day suspension, records obtained by the KSAT-12 Defenders said.
David Mireles was off duty May 26 when he hit a car stopped at a red light on Northwest Military Highway near Wurzbach Parkway. A San Antonio police officer responded to the crash scene.
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"The arresting officer noted that Firefighter Mireles had glassy, bloodshot eyes, a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, was exhibiting slurred speech, and was unsteady on his feet," the document said. "Firefighter Mireles admitted to having two 20-ounce beers, then another beer and two mixed drinks that evening."
Mireles was arrested for driving while intoxicated. Results of his blood alcohol content tests were 0.131 and 0.139, "which exceeds the legal limit of .08," the document said.
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Mireles initially received an indefinite suspension on Sep. 21, which officials have described as tantamount to termination, but instead received a 75-day suspension without pay. He was also required to agree to several conditions, including beginning a rehabilitation program.
"Any arrest in any jurisdiction of Firefighter Mireles for driving while intoxicated after the execution of this agreement shall constitute resignation of Firefighter Mireles from the San Antonio Fire Department and employment with the City of San Antonio," the document said.
Nine officers with the San Antonio Police Department also agreed to suspensions in September.
- Officer Luis Torres, three-day suspension without pay. Torres requested an on-duty SAPD officer drive by his girlfriend's home to see if a car was parked there. Records said Torres also "used his city computer to run a query on two individuals that were associates of his girlfriend" but were "not related to any official police business assigned to Officer Torres."
- Officer Jacob Barcena, three-day suspension without pay. Barcena was driving a city-owned vehicle on June 10 when he struck a center median in the 7300 block of S. Zarzamora.
- Officer Anthony Brown, three-day suspension without pay. Brown used city-owned equipment on two separate occasions for "unofficial and/or improper purposes to check the criminal history of two persons," the document said.
- Probationary Officer Tyler Stenson, three-day suspension without pay. Stenson was driving a city-owned vehicle on Aug. 8 when he struck another vehicle at the intersection of San Fernando and S.W. 30th streets.
- Officer James Quintanilla, two-day suspension without pay. Quintanilla and another officer attempted to stop a vehicle that was "driving erratically." The vehicle did not stop and Quintanilla deactivated his body-worn camera while he followed it. The document said Quintanilla did not reactive his camera until the car stopped and he was running after a suspect who left the scene.
- Officer Heidi Cruz, one-day suspension without pay. Cruz was driving a city-owned vehicle on July 29 when she struck a vehicle at the intersection of El Paso and S. San Jacinto streets.
- Officer Steven Martinez, one-day suspension without pay. Martinez was arrested Sep. 16 for theft by check $100-$750. The document said he wrote a check for $109 to a business, but "there were insufficient funds in Officer Martinez's checking account and the check was returned."
- Detective Hector Valdez, one-day suspension without pay. Valdez was cleaning a loaded off-duty weapon in his home when he accidentally fired it, sending a round through the wall of his home and into the exterior wall of a neighbor's home.
- Officer Sergio Villanueva, one-day suspension without pay. Villanueva and another officer attempted to stop a vehicle that was "driving erratically." The vehicle did not stop and Villanueva deactivated his body-worn camera while he followed it. The document said Villanueva did not reactive his camera until a suspect was arrested and was placed in the back of his patrol vehicle.