Star UTSA wide receiver accused of repeatedly violating bond conditions in DWI crash case

Joshua Cephus, 22, charged with DWI with an elevated blood alcohol level in Dec. 2022 crash near UTSA campus

Joshua Cephus faces a misdemeanor charge of DWI with an elevated blood alcohol level. (Joshua Saunders, KSAT)

SAN ANTONIO – A star wide receiver for the University of Texas at San Antonio football program on bond in an elevated DWI case is accused of repeatedly violating conditions of his pretrial release, court records obtained by KSAT Investigates show.

Joshua Cephus, 22, repeatedly skipped tests on a portable breathalyzer device, records filed with the court Tuesday claim.

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It is the second pretrial release violation report submitted in Cephus’ case since his arrest in July for DWI with a blood alcohol level over .15.

In a separate report submitted by pretrial services Sept. 11, Cephus was accused of not calibrating the breathalyzer device, records show.

The incident was addressed during a court setting, according to court records.

The native of Spring was suspended from all team activities following a Dec. 9 wreck in the 7200 block of UTSA Boulevard and missed the team’s bowl game, before returning to the team in January.

San Antonio police investigators at the time said Cephus was turning left and had a green light, but he lost control of the vehicle and rolled it over.

Cephus and his passenger, another UTSA football player, declined to be treated by paramedics at the scene.

Cephus, however, was not criminally charged for the crash until seven months later. His arrest came hours after a KSAT investigation revealed delays in the criminal case moving forward.

Among his conditions of bond, Cephus is prohibited from consuming alcohol and was required to install an ignition interlock device, court records show.

A UTSA spokesman referred questions on Wednesday about the court filings to Cephus’ criminal defense attorney.

Cephus’ attorney, Desi Martinez, told KSAT via telephone there is an explanation for the skipped tests, and they hope to approach the judge in the case “in the next few days.”

Cephus’ next scheduled court appearance is Nov. 1.

The senior leads the Roadrunners in receptions, yards and receiving touchdowns this season and is among the leaders in all three of those categories for the American Athletic Conference.

UTSA (3-3, 2-0) faces Florida Atlantic University (3-3, 2-0) Saturday in Boca Raton, Florida. The Owls and Roadrunners enter the weekend as part of a four-way tie for first place in the conference.


About the Author

Emmy-award winning reporter Dillon Collier joined KSAT Investigates in September 2016. Dillon's investigative stories air weeknights on the Nightbeat and on the Six O'Clock News. Dillon is a two-time Houston Press Club Journalist of the Year and a Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Reporter of the Year.

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