Man arrested after surveillance video showed him driving away from fatal hit-and-run on West Side, police say

Affidavit: Man drove away from scene when law enforcement responded

SAN ANTONIO – A man was arrested months after a hit-and-run that killed a 63-year-old man on the city’s West Side.

Fernando Castro Alvarez, 55, was taken into custody on Sunday and charged with collision involving death, records with the Bexar County Jail show.

An arrest warrant affidavit states Alvarez was driving a beige 1998 GMC Sierra northwest-bound in the 700 block of Bandera Road on Oct. 16 when he struck Rogelio Mata Rodriguez, who was crossing the street.

Alvarez fled the scene without stopping to render aid, police said. Rodriguez was taken to the hospital, where he later died.

Surveillance video from a nearby business and school showed the GMC hitting the victim, the affidavit states. Videos showed the GMC turning around and parking in a nearby parking lot.

The video showed the driver remaining in the truck as it stayed in the parking lot for about four minutes, according to court documents. The truck is seen driving off when emergency lights approach the scene.

Police said the GMC then drove through parking lots to avoid Bandera Road.

Investigators identified Alvarez as the registered owner of the truck. When investigators spoke with him, Alvarez said he sold the truck about a week before the incident but was unable to provide specific information on the sale, the affidavit states.

Investigators said GPS records from his cell phone placed him at the location of the crash when it occurred.

When questioned again by police, Alvarez said he could not remember where he was on the date of the crash and gave an “inconsistent” story, the affidavit states.

A warrant for his arrest was signed on Saturday, the day before he was charged with driving while intoxicated, records show. His bond is set at $85,000.


About the Author

Rebecca Salinas is an award-winning digital journalist who joined KSAT in 2019. She reports on a variety of topics for KSAT 12 News.

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