Bexar County deputy on desk duty after chasing alleged car thief, union says

SAN ANTONIO – A Bexar County deputy is on desk duty after a suspected car thief was caught following a pursuit, and the union for sheriff’s deputies is calling the move a penalty for a good job.

On Monday, San Antonio police were looking for the driver of a stolen car on I-37.

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The union said Deputy Abigail Rios was alerted to be on the lookout. She saw the suspect in the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop, the union said.

SAPD: Man arrested after leading officers on chase across Bexar, Atascosa counties

“She pulls him over. When she pulls the guy over … the guy is sitting on the side of the road. He takes off, and then (Rios) says, ‘(Sergeant) what do I do? And he says, ‘Go after him,'" said Jeremy Payne, president of the Deputy Sheriff’s Association of Bexar County.

The union argues that a supervisor gave the deputy permission to chase the suspect.

The Bexar Country Sheriff’s Office said the suspect sideswiped a car and bumped into another vehicle.

The suspect was taken into custody outside of Bexar County in Atascosa County.

BCSO issued the following statement in response:

“The Patrol Deputy involved in yesterday’s pursuit has been placed on Administrative Duty - which is not discipline - due to an ongoing administrative review of her recent pursuit that involved a crash and minor injuries to some of the occupants. This is coupled with an unrelated incident that has resulted in ongoing investigations by the Internal Affairs and Public Integrity Units.”