All posts by Senior Officer Julia Hernandez-Garcia

Criminal Intelligence Unit

Local Man Arrested, Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

Possession of Child Pornography     13609 Mountain Trail    1204240066

On 4/26/12, Detectives with the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force culminated an investigation into the possession of child pornography with the arrest of Vaughn Warner 12/29/94. 

Detectives were able to proactively determine that Warner was in possession of child pornography.  A search warrant was served at Warner’s home and he was subsequently arrested for Possession of Child Pornography.  Warner was booked into the Nueces County Jail and has since been released on a $15,000 bond.

Charlie District

Stand-Off Ends Peacefully

Occurred on 4/29/12, 11:27 am   Assault   3817 Montego   1204290061/1204290077

Shortly before noon, the Police Department received information about a female possibly being held hostage.  Officers arrived to find the victim outside, but she denied being threatened, assaulted, or held hostage. 

While Officers were talking to the female, her 21-year-old boyfriend threatened to harm himself and locked himself inside the apartment.  Officers on scene requested the assistance of the SWAT and the Hostage Negotiation Teams who were able to persuade the male to walk out of the apartment and surrender to Officers.  The male who was unharmed was taken to Spohn Memorial for medical evaluation.

As a precaution, several residents of the Christy Wood Apartments were evacuated, but allowed to return home shortly after the stand-off ended.

Adam District

Motorcylist Hospitalized, 22-Year-Old Charged with Intoxication Assault

 Occurred on 4/29/12, 3:44 am   Intoxication Assault   2700 SH 286     1204290031/C1203125

Officers investigating a collision at SH 286 southbound over Tarlton arrived to find the driver of a Harley Davidson seriously injured.  Witnesses reported to Officers they were traveling alongside the motorcyclist when a white Suburban struck the motorcyclist from behind, ejecting the driver when it flipped over.

The 51-year-old motorcyclist was immediately rushed to Spohn Memorial by CCFD Emergency personnel where he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit with severe head trauma and multiple lacerations to his body.  The victim was listed in serious condition and there is no update to his condition at this time.

The driver of the Suburban fled the collision scene without providing assistance or summoning police. A witness to the accident followed the suspect to the area of Prescott and Tarlton where he was involved in another accident, striking a fire hydrant.   The witness continued to follow the suspect after he abandoned his vehicle and ran to the Stripes Convenience Store, 3102 Ayers Street. 

When Officers found the suspect he appeared to be intoxicated and was taken to the area of Prescott and Tarlton Streets.  He was administered Standard Field Sobriety Tests and a Blood Draw was taken.

Christian Cardenas (01/20/90) who was not injured was arrested and charged with Intoxication Assault with a Vehicle and Accident Involving Injury.  He was also charged with Failure to Control Speed.

The Police Department would like to thank everyone who stopped to help the victim and provided valuable information which led to the  apprehension of the suspect responsible for this terrible accident.

Charlie District

Male Stabbed in Front of His Residence, Refuses to Tell Police Details of Attack

Occurred on 4/27/12, 02:14 am   Aggravated Assault   5901 Weber    1204270015

Multiple Officers were sent to Paradise Bay Apartment looking for a male bleeding near one of the buildings.  Officers found a 31-year-old male on a lawn chair with trying to stop the flow of blood from a stab wound to his torso.   The victim was quickly taken to Spohn Memorial by CCFD Emergency Personnel for medical treatment. 

There is no suspect information available at this time. Any one with any information about this crime is encouraged to call the Crime Stoppers Tip LIne at 888-TIPS or tips may be submitted online at www.888TIPS.com.  The information provided is anonymous and could earn the caller a cash reward.

Delta District

Prowler Hides Amongst the Tires, Burglarizes Coke Machine


Reported on 4/19/12,  9:04 am  Theft from a Coin Operated Machine  1502 S. Port Avenue   1204190035

The owner of Danny’s Tire Shop told Officers his Coke machine had been burglarized.  The victim told Officers video surveillance shows a male prying open the Coke machine and taking the money out.

The suspect is described as a 20 to 30 year-old thin male.  He was last seen running to the rear of the business.

Any one with any information about this crimes is encouraged to call the Crime Stoppers Tip LIne at 888-TIPS or tips may be submitted online at www.888TIPS.com.  The information provided is anonymous and could earn the caller a cash reward.

Charlie District, Criminal Investigations Division

Suspect Arrested in Mall Shooting

Jimmy Salinas

Corpus Christi Police Department Homicide/Robbery Detectives along with the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force served an arrest warrant for Jimmy Salinas (04/12/77) at his residence, 5721 Crestwood.

Homicide/Robbery Detective R. Torres was able to obtain an arrest warrant for Salinas who was involved in the April 19th shooting of a 34-year-old female at the JC Penny’s  parking lot.  The victim and Salinas’ girlfriend were involved in a “feud fight” when he was ordered by his girlfriend to shoot at the victim.  Salinas fired several gunshots at the victim, missing her, but striking her vehicle. 

Upon serving the arrest warrant, Salinas attempted to flee out the back door of his residence, but ran back inside when he observed Officers waiting for him.  Salinas was pursued and quickly apprehended.

He was charged with the outstanding warrant for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Unlawful Possession of Body Armor by a Felon.

For additional information on the original blotter story, please visit the following link: http://wp.me/p1D8kP-1rn

Charlie District

Father Arrested When He Rams His Suburban Into Ex-Girlfriend’s Car with Her Two Children Inside

Occurred on 4/25/12, 6:04 pm  Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Vehicle   2100 Horne Road   1204250087

Officers contacted a 24-year-old female who reported her ex-boyfriend rammed his Suburban into her Plymouth Neon as they traveled east on Horne Road.  As the victim pulled up next to her ex’s vehicle he sideswiped her car, causing a dent on the passenger door.

The victim told Officers she had her two-year-old and three-month-old in the vehicle.  Both her children were in their child safety seats and not injured.  When the victim stopped to call police, the suspect fled home and also called for police assistance.

After further investigation, the victim’s 24-ex-boyfriend was arrested and taken Spohn Shoreline to be medically cleared.  He was charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

Due to the domestic relationship between the individuals no additional information will be released.

Community Outreach, Narcotics/Vice Division

Turn in your Prescription Drugs, No Questions Asked

Drug Enforcement Administration and the Corpus Christi Police Department
Conduct Third Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

“Living Drug Free Starts at Home”

On April 28th,  from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  local law enforcement agencies  and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  Bring your medications for disposal to one of the designated sites in Corpus Christi, Kingsville, Aransas Pass, Portland, Cuero and Sinton.  The service is free and anonymous. 

Last October, Americans turned in 377,080 pounds—188.5 tons—of prescription drugs at over 5,300 sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,000 state and local law enforcement partners. (The Gulf Coast area collected almost 1000 pounds.) In its three previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners took in almost a million pounds—nearly 500 tons—of pills. 

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.  Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.

Four days after the first event, Congress passed the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, which amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow an “ultimate user” of controlled substance medications to dispose of them by delivering them to entities authorized by the Attorney General to accept them.  The Act also allows the Attorney General to authorize long-term care facilities to dispose of their residents’ controlled substances in certain instances.  DEA is drafting regulations to implement the Act, a process that can take as long as 24 months.  Until new regulations are in place, local law enforcement agencies and the DEA will continue to hold prescription drug take-back events every few months.

Coastal Bend Collection Sites are listed below:     

  • KIII TV~5002 South Padre Island Drive, Corpus Christi
  • HEB~3500 Leopard, Corpus Christi
  • HEB~3033 S. Port Avenue, Corpus Christi
  • HEB~5313 Saratoga Boulevard, Corpus Christi
  • HEB(Flour Bluff)~1145 Waldron Road, Corpus Christi
  • HEB(Annaville)~11100 Leopard Street, Corpus Christi
  • HEB~1600 Wildcat Boulevard, Portland
  • HEB~409 E. Kleberg, Kingsville
  • HEB(Aransas Pass)~101 E. Goodnight Avenue, Aransas Pass
  • HEB(Sinton)~106 S. San Patricio, Sinton
  • Cuero City Hall~201 E. Main Street, Cuero
Community Outreach, Delta District

If you received a text stating “CREDIT UNION…YOUR CARD IS NOW DEACTIVATED – PLEASE CALL 361-xxx-xxxx” Don’t Stop Reading

Information Provided by Corpus Christi Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit

Over the last few days, customers have made their banks aware of a scam that is hitting the Coastal Bend area.

The customers are receiving a text on their phone that typically reads “CREDIT UNION…YOUR CARD IS NOW DEACTIVATED – PLEASE CALL 361-xxx-xxxx” Customers are then asked to put in their account number.

This is a scam and an attempt to obtain your account number along with your PIN. DO NOT respond to any messages that are similar to this.

If you receive a message like this, contact your bank/credit union in person or by a verified phone number and advise them. If you have responded to the text advise your bank immediately.

Delta District

Parents with Children in Pot Smelling Car, Father Arrested

Occurred on 4/24/12, 8:15 pm   Possession of a Controlled Substance   Morgan & Port        1204240144

Justin Michael Valdez (12/04/90) was arrested after Officers pulled him over for a traffic violation.  While Valdez was looking for insurance and registration, the smell of Marijuana wafted to where Officers were standing.

Officers asked the 20-year-old female passenger to step out of car along with her two and five-year old boys. 

The smell of Marijuana was tracked to a couple of bags containing 3.5 ounces of Marijuana and a 2.13 grams of Cocaine.  Valdez was booked at the City Detention Center and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Marijuana, along with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia when a digital scale was also found.

The vehicle was released to the girlfriend and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services was notified.