All posts by Senior Officer Julia Hernandez-Garcia

Bravo District, Criminal Intelligence Unit

Couple’s Luck Runs Out When They Pull a Second Robbery

Occurred on 6/28/12, 5:25 am  Robbery   1190 Waldron 1206280028/1206280029

Officers talked to the 48-year-old victim who reported he was robbed at the Wells Fargo ATM machine located at Waldron and S. Padre Island Drive.  The victim told Officers his vehicle was blocked by an older model passenger car and approached by a White male armed with what appeared to be a screw driver.  The victim reversed out of the ATM drive-thru leaving his bank card behind.  A female passenger jumped out and attempted to use his card, but was unsuccessful. 

The suspects fled northbound  toward the 10300 block of S. Padre Island Drive.  The victim described the first suspect as a White male, 5’10” to  6’1″ feet tall and his accomplice was described as a White female, 20 to 26 years of age, 5’2″ to 5’4″ feet tall, and weighing 105 to 120 lbs.  The victim called police and he was able to retrieve his bank card from the ATM machine.

While were conducting their investigation, Officers heard another robbery being dispatched to the Valero Convenience Store at 6330 McArdle, both robberies  had matching similarities.   During the second robbery, a store employee told the Officer, a female entered the store and distracted by asking for change.  While assisting her, a male armed with a knife and with his face covered entered the store and demanded the cash register money.  The gave the male an undetermined amount of money.  The female she’d been assisting ran out the store with the male following her.  Both entering the same car and fleeing the area.  Almost simultaneously, a customer and reserve Sheriff’s Deputy pulled into the parking lot and was alerted by the victim of the robbery.

The Deputy followed the suspects and notified police.  The suspects fled through Gulfway Shopping Center onto Airline Road headed northbound towards S. Padre Island Drive.  The suspects were followed onto the freeway and finally pulled over at SH 358 Westbound and SH 286 Southbound turnaround where it struck the cement barrier.  Christina Ambrosia Vasquez (01/21/82) and Jarrod Nathaniel Cantu (01/10/87) were arrested after both robbery victims positively identified them.  Officers recovered the stolen money which had been thrown from the car.  Vasquez and Cantu were both charged with Aggravated Robbery.  Cantu was additionally charged with Evading Arrest with a Vehicle and Evading Arrest after he bailed from the vehicle and tried to flee.  Both victims were frightened, but uninjured.

 

 

e victim was taken to 6330 McArdle Road where he positively identified the suspects.

Bravo District

Four Injured When Motorcyclist Collides with Two Pedestrians

Occurred on 6/27/12, 9:27 pm  Major Accident  1000 Graham      C1204928

An off-duty Officer was leaving the Flour Bluff Substation when she saw a couple walking in the middle of the road in the area of 1000 Graham Road.  The Officer flashed her high beams and honked her horn at them in an effort to get them off the road.  The couple stayed in the middle of the roadway, each pulling the other in opposite directions to avoid a motorcycle headed in their direction.    The Officer turned back around, but it was too late. 

The motorcyclist attempted to avoid colliding with the couple, but struck them both with the 23-year-old female suffering serious injuries.  The 22-year-old boyfriend sustained bumps and bruises. The 27-year-old motorcyclist left the roadway and his 24-year-old passenger fell off landing in the sandy shoulder. The driver and passenger of the  motorcycle along with the female pedestrian were taken to Spohn Memorial.  The couple on the motorcycle sustained non-life threatening injuries.  The 22-year-old male pedestrian sustained bumps and bruises and refused treatment.

The motorcyclist was issued three citations for No Driver’s License, Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility, and an Expired License Plate.

Adam District

Bribe Offer Lands Woman in Jail

Occurred on 6/28/12, 03:09 am  Possession of Marijuana/Bribery  2800 Sagebrush 1206280021 

Officers patrolling their area observed a white pick-up truck with its headlights on parked in the 2700 block of Sage Brush.  Initially the truck appeared vacant, but Officer found Nancy Kristine Elliff (08/15/92) slouched down in the driver’s seat arguing on the phone with her boyfriend. 

Elliff appeared to be intoxicated and was arrested for Public Intoxication.  While conducting an impound inventory of the truck, Officers found a rifle along with some Marijuana, a glass pipe, and a Marijuana grinder. Elliff was charged with Public Intoxication, Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon, Possession of Marijuana,  and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  She was additionally charged with Bribery after repeated offers were made to give Officers money to let her go.

Adam District

Man Attacked with Machete Over a $10 Debt

Occurred on 6/23/12, 02:32 am  Aggravated Assault   4600 Angela  1206230027

Officers responded to an assault and upon their arrival found the 49-year-old victim lying on the ground bleeding from a laceration to his face and a dislocated jaw.  The suspect Rodolfo Quintero (10/14/67)  fled, but was found at his residence and returned to the crime scene. 

Further investigation revealed, the victim and Quintero argued about a $10 debt.  Quintero tried to leave, but was attacked by a machete wielding victim.  The suspect struck the victim with a foosball stick he grabbed from the trash.  The victim was taken to Spohn Memorial by CCFD Emergency Personnel. 

Quintero was arrested and charged with Aggravated Assault~Serious Bodily Injury which is a 2nd Degree Felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Bravo District, Community Outreach

Five-Year-Old Rushed to Driscoll after Near Drowning

Occurred on 6/24/12, 5:05 pm  Drowning 8202 SPID  1206240115 

Officer T. Taufaasau responded to Motel 6 for a possible drowning and arrived to find several people surrounding a 5-year-old boy yelling for help.  The child was laying by the pool’s edge having a difficult time breathing.  The Officer took hold of the child and rolled him over allowing a large amount of water to exit his mouth.  Shortly thereafter, firefighters arrived and rushed him to the arriving ambulance. 

The child was taken to Driscoll Children’s Hospital by CCFD Emergency Personnel.  Officer Taufasssau’s reported the child was breathing on own.  The child’s mother advised Officers she was in the pool with her son when she got out.  She turned around to find her son gone and began searching for him when she was told he had also gotten out of the pool.  When she returned to the pool area she saw her floating in the water.  She dove in and was able to bring her son to the pool’s edge where bystanders helped with CPR until police arrived.

With the arrival of summer and warmer weather, the use of pools and spas will also rise.  According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, child drownings in pools and spas still a leading cause of unintentional death, especially with children under five years of age.   By following simple pool safety tips, the risk of a drowning can be prevented.  Fence in your pool with a self-closing, self-latching, and lockable gate.   Install an alarm which will sound when a child falls in the pool or a pool gate opened. Never let your child swim alone or only with other children.  Pay close attention to your child when swimming; don’t read, text, or do chores and make sure your child takes swimming lessons. 

If you would like to learn CPR, please contact the Red Cross at 361-887-9991 or visit their website at www.redcross.org for classes.

 

 

Delta District

Two Arrested on Drug Charges

Occurred on 6/24/12, 10:52 pm  Possession of Marijuana   700 Omaha    1206240150
Occurred on 6/25/12, 12:49 am  Possession of Controlled Substance  700 Omaha     1206250011

Carlos Alberto Franco (08/29/90) was arrested after Marijuana was found in the car he was driving.   Officer V. Ortiz pulled over Franco after he was observed stopped in the middle of the street in the 700 block of Omaha.  Franco the reversed to the opposite side of the street and pulled into a mechanic shop.  He was booked and charged with Possession of Marijuana.

A couple of hours later, Officer V. Ortiz pulled over a black Lexus in the same area after it was observed to be swerving from side to side.  The driver Thomas Rice McBath (10/12/63) was found to have his insurance expired.  McBath and his passenger a known drug dealer both told Officers conflicting stories about their activities.

The driver was asked to exit his vehicle and he immediately placed his hands on the roof of his car.  He was advised to relax and lower his hands.  McBath was told his vehicle was to be impounded.  During the impound inventory Officer E. Coronado found two small baggies on the roof of the car where McBath had placed his hands. Each plastic baggy contained a rock of Crack Cocaine.  McBath was arrested and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance.  The passenger was positively identified and released.

Delta District

Use of iPhone’s GPS Tracker Leads Officers to Suspect

Occurred on 6/25/12, 01:05 am  Burglary of a Vehicle  3105 Topeka Street   1206250013

The victim reported to Officers he was unloading groceries when his iPhone was stolen from his red Jeep Liberty.  The victim took his groceries inside and returned to lock his vehicle when he discovered the auto burglary.  The victim ran to his front driveway and observed a White male trying to ride off on his $1,200 mountain bike.

The suspect fell off the victim’s bike, but managed to run off.  The victim was able to track his iPhone via his wife’s phone.  Officers went looking for the suspect armed with the GPS tracking device on the borrowed phone and a description of the suspect.

Officers were able to track the phone to the 600 block of Hoffman where they found the suspect casing other vehicles in the neighborhood.  The suspect jumped over a fence and tried to hide in the alley.  Officers continued to use the tracking device and found him underneath some bushes.

Vincent George Williams (06/20/78) was placed in police custody.  Upon checking the iPhone tracker, it told the Officer he was next to the stolen iPhone.  Williams was arrested and found to be possession of the iPhone, a CD player, a flashlight, and a shoulder bag with makeup and loose change.

The iPhones and mountain bike were returned to the victim, but Officers were not able to locate the owner of the stolen shoulder bag. 

Williams was booked at the City Detention Center and charged with Burglary of a Vehicle and Theft.

Delta District

Seatbelt Saves Officer from Serious Injury

Corpus Christi Police Department Gang Unit Supervisor Lt. D. Garcia was traveling southbound on Ayers when a black Chevrolet Tahoe crossed over onto his lane.  Both vehicles sustained heavy damage as they collided almost head-on.

Both drivers were taken to area hospitals.  Lt. Garcia, a 14-year veteran of the department was taken to Spohn Shoreline for medical evaluation and released.  Lt. Garcia’s use of his seatbelt prevented serious bodily injury.  The 27-year-old driver of the Tahoe suffered fractures to his right leg and foot along with a bruising to his upper torso and admitted to Spohn Memorial. 

 It is unknown at this time, why the driver swerved into oncoming traffic, but the driver showed signs of being intoxicated and a blood draw taken.   Derek Jonathan Puebla (07/22/84) received medical clearance from hospital staff and arrested.  He was booked at the City Detention Center and charged with Driving While Intoxicated, Driving While License Invalid and Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility.  A weapon and “Kush” was also found in the Tahoe Puebla was operating.  The follow-up accident investigation will be handled by the Traffic Division.  Puebla could also face charges of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon and Possession of Controlled Substance in Penalty Group 2-A for the “Kush” which is a synthetic marijuana.

As Officers were arriving on the accident site, one Officer attempted to talk to a man who resembled an individual who appeared to have walked away from the accident scene.  The Officer had to give chase when the man took off running.  Jose Samuel Galvan (01/07/76) was quickly apprehended and found to have a firearm.  The weapon had been reported stolen in Corpus Christi.  He was arrested and charged with  Unlawful Carrying of a Firearm, Theft of a Firearm from a Motor Vehicle, and Evading Arrest.   #1206230157

While Officers were conducting the preliminary accident investigation a driver drove past the Officers blocking access to the accident site.  When they stopped Mack Hinojosa (12/25/86) they could see a plastic baggy of Cocaine in the center console and he was found to be wanted by ATF.  Hinojosa  was arrested and charged with the outstanding Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms warrant for Felon in Possession of a Firearm, two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance (Cocaine and Pills), and Possession of Marijuana. #1206230161

Community Outreach, Delta District

Cats’ Yowls Foil Burglar

Occurred on 6/22/12, 12:54 am  Burglary of a Habitation  520 S. Carancahua  1206220012 

A homeowner washing dishes heard her cats “going crazy” on her back porch was startled to see a man looking back at her when she looked out her dining room window.  She called 911 and within minutes Officers arrived to find Adrian Avalos (08/07/64) hiding in her screen in patio. 

He was also found to have entered an unlocked car behind the house and patio to gain access to the attached laundry room.  A combination of the victim’s quick actions and Officers quick arrival did not allow the suspect to steal any property.  Avalos was arrested and charged with Burglary of a Habitation which is a 2nd Degree Felony and punishable by up to 20 years in prison and up to a $10,000. 

The Corpus Christi Police Department offers free home and business security surveys to make your home or business safer.  Home inspections can also put money in your pocket by reducing your insurance premiums.  Please contact Crime Prevention Specialist Brenda Moreno at 361-886-2765 to schedule your free survey.

Delta District

Fire-Proof Jackets Stolen in Uniform Store Burglary

Occurred on 6/21/12. 6:58 pm  Burglary of a Building  3950 Leopard Street    1206210126 

The owner of B & J’s Uniforms reported her business had been burglarized.  Further investigation revealed the locks had been cut to the doors where the stolen merchandise had been stored.   

Taken were 10 boxes filled with fire-proof jackets valued at $8,700.  Anyone with any information on this burglary is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS  or login online at www.888TIPS.com .  Tips will be taken in the strictest confidence and tips that lead to the arrest of suspects, as well as the recovery of stolen property are eligible for cash rewards of up to $1,000.