Delta District

Four Year Old Uninjured As Father Flees from Police

Occurred on 7/29/12, 9:58pm  Endangering a Child, DWI with a Child  1450 Tompkins   1207290157              

Officers were dispatched to Tompkins Court for a disturbance involving a Hispanic male in a white Dodge Caravan.  Police arrived to find Lucas Silvas (09/16/74) in the van with a young child in the front passenger seat and a beer in the center console. 

The driver was asked to turn the car off and exit the vehicle as they continued their investigation into the disturbance.  Silvas refused and drove off with the 4-year-old unrestrained child. Officers report the child almost fell out of the open window.  The Officer who was holding on to the door as Silvas began to drive away had to jump away from the vehicle as Lucas turned the vehicle in his direction. 

Lucas sped off westbound on Tompkins and struck two parked vehicles.  Officers were putting a B.O.L.O. (Be On the Look Out) for the Caravan when it was spotted traveling southbound on Ayers, speeding down the center lane as it passed several vehicles.  The van continued on failing to stop for the red light at Ayers and Tarleton when Officers attempted to pull the vehicle over.  The pursuit was canceled when the driver almost struck a vehicle as it turned east onto Horne Road. 

Police following Silvas at a distance observed the driver pull into the driveway at 2910 Horne Road and attempt to run inside. Silvas was ordered to stop, but he kept yelling at Police to tase him.  A struggle ensued in which Silvas took a swing at one of the Officers which missed.  A lengthy struggle ensued as Officers tried to handcuff with Silvas knocking over patio furniture as he tried to get way.    

Silvas who appeared to be intoxicated  was administered Standard Field Sobriety Tests and a Blood Draw taken.  He was medically cleared and booked at the City Detention Center.  Silvas was charged with Evading Arrest in a Vehicle, Driving with Intoxicated with Child, Abandon/Endangering a Child, Evading on Foot, Resist Arrest, and an outstanding Municipal Court warrant for Failure to Appear with a $269 fine.  He was also charged with Possession of Marijuana when a baggy containing Marijuana was found in his short pocket.

The four-year-old was uninjured and was released to a family member.

Charlie District, Patrol Division

Police Arrest Man Taking Things From Unlocked Vehicles

Occurred Sunday, July 29, 2012, 01:00am, 4100 Brett Street, Burglary from a vehicle, 1207290013

A 20-year-old man was arrested Sunday morning accused of stealing from vehicles in an apartment parking lot at the 4100 block of Brett Street.

Corpus Christi Police responded to a complaint of a man and woman roaming the parking lot, looking in vehicles and pulling the door handles. Police Officers saw a man and woman who matched the description of the suspects provided by the original caller and the woman and man directly ran from police.

The officer caught the man, 20-year-old Joshua Pantoja (2/8/1992) with a bag of property. The officer investigated and discovered the property was taken from unlocked vehicles in the parking lot. The total value of the property was $550 and was returned to the rightful owner.

Pantonja was arrested for burglary of a motor vehicle, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in jail and up to a $4,000 fine. The woman has been identified by police and the investigation continues for any potential criminal charges appropriate for her involvement.

The Corpus Christi Police Department Auto Theft Task Force reminds everyone to hide the things in your vehicle, lock the doors to your vehicle when it is unattended, and take your keys. Unattended vehicles are a tempting target for thieves.

Charlie District, Traffic Safety Division

Bus Strikes Police Officer On Motorcycle

Occurred Monday, July 30, 2012, 10:43am 4500 State Highway 286 Access northbound, Vehicle Crash C1205689

A police officer on a police motor cycle was stopped at a red light when he was struck from behind by a bus on the Cross-town Expressway access road Monday morning.

The police officer is recovering from minor injuries such as a few abrasions and a swollen ankle. The officer was off-duty having completed morning duty and was in uniform on a marked police motorcycle.

The police officer was on the access road for the Cross-town Expressway in the northbound lanes at the intersection of Gollihar and stopped for the red light. The Regional Transit Authority bus saw the light turn green and moved forward and struck the motorcycle from behind. The officer was knocked to the ground and suffered minor injuries.

No other person was harmed. The bus had two passengers on board who were not injured. The 40-year-old woman operator of the bus was cited for an Unsafe Start From A Parked Position which is a violation of the Texas Transportation Code section 545.402.

The officer was transported to the hospital by ambulance for his minor injuries and the motorcycle was towed as a result of the damages.

The Texas Department of Transportation has a motorcycle safety campaign called Share the Road in which motorists are urged to look twice for motorcyclists. Be careful when changing lanes, and at intersections which, according to the Texas Department of Transportation, are the two places where serious motorcycle collisions commonly occur.

Visit http://www.dot.state.tx.us/safety/tips/moto_campaign.htm for more information about the Texas Department of Transportation safety campaign.

Community Outreach

Neighborhood Parking Initiative to Begin Enforcement on August 1st

Wednesday, August 1st, the Corpus Christi Police Department will begin Phase III, the Enforcement Phase of the Neighborhood Parking Initiative. Over the six-week period covering Phase I (Information & Education Period) & II (Warning Period), CCPD utilized the various news and social networking media to deliver education information and issued over 22,000 Warning Notices, covering every street in the city limits, most several times. 

This third phase launches Wednesday using the individual District Beat Patrol Officers, Directed Patrol Officers and Parking Enforcement Officers. All four Police Districts will be strategically addressed this first day and thereafter individual Beat Patrol Officers will continue to cover their assigned beats as part of their routine patrols, while Parking Enforcement Officers will work a rotating schedule to equally cover enforcement across the city. 

This will be the first time CCPD Parking Enforcement Officers will utilize electronic ticket writers to issue criminal based citations.  This also allows for citations to be electronically downloaded daily into the court software system at Municipal Court simplifying and expediting court processing to under 24 hours from time of issue.

Bravo District, Delta District

Woman Charged with DWI After Crashing into a Building

Constance Hackett

Occurred on 7/29/12, 3:07pm    Driving While Intoxicated     1200 Airline Rd    1207290106/C1205676

Officers responded to 1200 Airline Road for an accident involving a black 2011 Lexus RX350 which struck a couple of parked vehicles and crashed into a  building.  Upon their arrival, Officers found a black Lexus inside the Soward Adams Psychological Service located at 5830 McArdle Road.  

CCFD Emergency Personnel were aiding the driver Constance Hackett (02/17/62) who was still in the driver’s seat.  Officers found a combination of empty and closed mini wine bottles in the floorboard of the SUV.  Hackett appeared to be intoxicated and uncooperative while emergency personnel were trying extract her from the vehicle.

Witness told Officers the Lexus was travelling southbound on Airline when the driver tried to make a right turn into the private drive of the Crossroads Shopping Village and struck an unoccupied gray Toyota Camry stopped for a red light.  The driver then struck a Chevrolet Suburban parked in the shopping center and continued westbound through the parking lot until it struck the Soward’s building.

Hackett was taken to Spohn Memorial with minor injuries.  A blood warrant was obtained and a blood draw taken.  Hackett was medically cleared and booked at the City Detention Center where she was charged with Driving While Intoxicated.

Neither the 70-year-old driver of the Camry nor anyone inside the business were injured.

Community Outreach, Delta District

Do You Need a Car to go “Back to School?” CCPD to Auction 87 Vehicles on Saturday

The C.C.P.D.’s commitment to “Keep Corpus Christi Safe” has continued with its
“Zero Tolerance No Insurance Initiative”

On Saturday, August 4, 2012, a total of 87 cars, trucks, and motorcycles will be auctioned at the Corpus Christi Police Department new Vehicle Impound Lot located at 5485 Greenwood Drive during our monthly auction. The new site has four paved acres for an auction lot. 

Approximately 20 of these vehicles are “No Insurance” impounds. On Friday, August 3, 2012, the general public will be allowed to register and view the vehicles to be auctioned from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There is no registration fee.

On the day of the auction, the general public can continue to register and view the vehicles from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The auction will commence promptly at 10:00 a.m. on August 4, 2012.   The vehicles to be auctioned can be viewed at www.siskauction.com. An auction list may also be downloaded from the same website.

The department’s strong stand and enforcement of this “Zero Tolerance No Insurance Initiative” will continue and all vehicles involved in accidents will be impounded and the driver cited if they are unable to provide financial proof of insurance. Driver’s license and proof of financial responsibility checkpoints will continue to be conducted at the Shift Captains’ authorization.

Officers issued 5,509 citations and impounded 1,212 vehicles for Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility during 2011. During July 2012, Officers issued 397 citations for Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility and impounded 94 vehicles for the same charge.

Delta District

Two Girls Released Unharmed After Truck Stolen With Them Inside

Occurred on 7/28/12, 6:08 pm  Robbery   300 Norton   1207280113

Officers responded to the residence for an abduction involving a 13-year-old and 5-year-old girl.  Upon their arrival, Officers contacted the children’s mother who reported she returned home to retrieve something and left her grey Chevrolet Silverado running while she went inside the house.

Her two daughters remained in the truck and a man dressed in a white shirt with a shaved head jumped into the truck and drove off.  The suspect upon realizing the girls were in the truck threatened them with a gun and ordered them out of the vehicle.  The girls who were released uninjured began walking home and met up with their mother who was calling police.

Lt. W.C. Abbott en route to the call observed the stolen truck in the 1600 block of 15th Street being driven by the suspect who quickly pulled into 1633 15th Street.  Christopher Rangel-Musial (01/20/95) exited the truck and quickly made an attempt to move toward the home.  Rangel-Musial was detained and arrested.  The homeowner at 1633 15th Street told Officers he did not know Rangel-Musial, but he was asking to use the phone as he walked up to the residence.

He was charged with Robbery and Possession of a Controlled Substance when he was found to have several Hydrocodone pills on his person.  The stolen truck was released to the victim.

Charlie District, Traffic Safety Division

Speed a Factor in Fatal Accident

Occurred on 7/27/12, 11:39 pm Major Accident   4300 Ayers Street   C1205646

Officers responded to a one vehicle accident in the 4300 block of Ayers Street which fatally injured a 38-year-old man.

Further investigation revealed the black 2004 Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck was traveling southbound on Ayers at a high rate of speed as it approached the intersection of Ayers Street and S. Port Avenue.  The Tacoma left the roadway and drove up on the median striking a traffic control box.

The driver was rushed to Spohn Memorial, but did not survive his fatal injuries.  The accident remains under investigation.

Delta District

Customer at Fox’s Den Caught Paying with Fake Money

Occurred on 7/26/12, 9:28 pm  Forgery  1534 S. Staples 1207260180

Officers contacted the bouncer at Fox’s Den who reported three males were inside the gentlemen’s club when one of the males attempted to use a forged $100 bill.  The suspect unable to pass the forged bill left the bar.

Officers were able to identify the suspect, but unsuccessful in locating him.  He is described as a Hispanic male, 43 years of age, 5’7″ feet tall, and weighing 230 lbs.  

The counterfeit money was tagged as evidence.  Anyone with any information on this crime is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS or submit a tip online at www.888TIPS.com.  You can earn a cash reward if the suspect is arrested. 

The Financial Crimes Unit recommends you visit the Secret Service website at http://www.secretservice.gov/money_detect.shtml to guard yourself against counterfeiters.

Charlie District

What Are Banks For??

Reported on 7/26/12, 1:04 pm Burglary of a Building    5129 Kostoryz      1207260080  

Officers contacted a 35-year-old man at Private Mini Storage who reported his storage unit had been burglarized within the past 24 to 48 hours.  The victim reported to Officers the storage unit was forced open and a couple of laptop computers and several thousand dollars in cash were taken. 

He told Officers he decided not to keep the money in the bank in an attempt to keep the cash away from his estranged wife.  Further investigation revealed the victim recently moved his funds from another storage unit after being told his estranged wife and her new girlfriend were going to burglarize the storage unit.

There is no suspect information available at this time.  If you have any information on this crime, we encourage you to call Crimes Stoppers at 888-TIPS or submit a tip online at www.888TIPS.com.  Go mobile and submit a tip via your iPhone or Android.  Callers will receive a cash reward if the suspect is arrested.

Corpus Christi Police Daily Blotter