Press Releases
March 27, 2020 — A 39-year-old San Angelo man who used his vehicle to repeatedly crash into another occupied vehicle at a north San Angelo meat-packing plant is behind bars this evening.
Just after 4:30 p.m., San Angelo Police were dispatched to Lone Star Beef Processors, 2150 East 37th Street, for the report of an unknown problem. While en route, officers received information that a man was repeatedly crashing into another vehicle in the parking lot.
Although the suspect fled prior to the officers’ arrival, additional units located the suspect driving near East 49th and Bowie. Police observed obvious signs of a recent collision on the vehicle as well as several open containers of alcoholic beverages inside the passenger compartment.
Pursuant to the field investigation, Detectives with the Department’s Criminal Investigations Division learned the suspect, identified as Manuel Alvarez, went to the plant to locate his ex-girlfriend, a plant employee. Alvarez located the woman inside her vehicle, had a verbal exchange and then purposefully crashed into the woman’s vehicle several times. The victim, age 40, was not injured. Several witnesses observed the incident, which was also captured on surveillance video.
Alvarez was charged with Aggravated Assault with Deadly Weapon. Additional charges may be forthcoming.
This is an active investigation and no other information is available for release at this time.
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March 24, 2020 — This morning, members of the San Angelo Police Department’s IT Section donated 42 Verizon JetPacks and 80 MiFi (mobile WiFi) devices to the San Angelo Independent School District to aid them in their efforts to provide virtual learning to students in the wake of COVID19-related school closures.
The San Angelo Police Department is currently undergoing an equipment upgrade to the patrol fleet’s in-car hotspot technology, which supports the new in-car video systems. Because of this upgrade, the previous in-car hotspot technology is no longer needed.
The Department is pleased that the donation will help fill the school district’s technological needs during these unprecedented times and we will continue to provide additional devices as they become available.
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Two San Angelo teens caught on camera attempting to burglarize a local sporting goods store Thursday night have been booked into the Tom Green County Juvenile Justice Center.
Around 9:30 p.m. last night, the owner of Field and Streams Sporting Goods was monitoring store security cameras when he noticed two male suspects attempting to break into his store.
Several officers converged on the area but the suspects fled upon the officers' arrival. The pair was apprehended after a brief foot pursuit. The juveniles are both 16 years old.
The juveniles were transported to the Department's Criminal Investigations Division for interview and subsequently charged with Burglary of a Building/Attempted Burglary of Building and Evading Arrest Detention.
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Effective immediately, due to ongoing concerns regarding the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), and the recommendation by local, state and Federal officials to limit public gatherings, the San Angelo Police Department’s Records Section, Alarm Services Office, and employment/volunteer fingerprint services are not available for in-person transactions. Alarm Permit Applications and Renewals will be processed by mail only until further notice.
- To obtain a police incident report visit: http://bit.ly/PDPublicRecordsRequest
- To obtain a police accident report visit: http://bit.ly/PDCrashReports
- To obtain an Alarm Permit Application visit: http://bit.ly/PDAlarmApplication
- Completed Alarm Permit Applications/renewal forms and payment should be remitted to:
San Angelo Police Department
c/o Alarm Coordinator
401 E. Beauregard
San Angelo TX 76903
In addition to these changes, the release of personal property by the Property Release Unit will be made on a case-by-case basis and by appointment only. Please contact (325) 657-4379.
On March 13, 2020, the Department issued a press release regarding its COVID-19 Temporary Response Protocol, which outlined the proactive steps the Department is taking to reduce the risk of unnecessary exposure of the coronavirus disease and seasonal influenza to our officers and citizens. The release, in part, outlined the decision to move towards mandatory online reporting for certain crimes (This does not include crime in progress). The press release, which includes a list of online reportable crimes, is available at http://bit.ly/PDCOVID19TempResponseProtocol. Department officials are reviewing call types and additional offenses may be added to the current list of online reportable incidents.
The San Angelo Police Department remains committed in our effort to maintain a healthy, functioning workforce to be able to respond to priority calls and emergency situations during this public health emergency. Therefore, we are asking our citizens to be flexible with the temporary changes to the Department’s business operations.
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Due to ongoing concerns regarding the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), and the recommendation by local, state and Federal officials to limit public gatherings, we have determined that it is best to postpone the Police Civil Service Exam previously scheduled for March 20, 2020, until May 8, 2020.
The new deadline for application is April 30, 2020 by 5:00 p.m. in the Human Resources Department located at 72 W. College Avenue, Room 201. Applications received after this date will not be accepted. Apply now at https://www.cosatx.us/departments-services/human-resources/fire-and-police-applications.
For additional information about joining the SAPD team visit http://bit.ly/JoinTheSAPDTeam or contact our recruiting officer, Sgt. Tim Coffman, at (325) 481-2709 or by email at tim.coffman@sanangelopolice.org.
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March 14, 2020 — A 29-year-old San Angelo driver who struck and killed a pedestrian early this morning has been charged with Intoxication Manslaughter with Vehicle.
The charge stems from a Fatality Crash Investigation that stared around 1:30 a.m. after police were dispatched to 1200 block of North Oakes Street for the report of a major motor vehicle crash.
The preliminary crash investigation revealed the driver, 29-year-old Brian Castillo of San Angelo, was operating a 2014 Dodge Dart traveling at a high rate of speed northbound on North Oakes Street when he crossed into the southbound lane. Castillo left the roadway and collided with a pedestrian before colliding with a street sign and utility pole. The pedestrian, identified as 28-year-old Johnell Hornsby, was pronounced deceased at the scene by Justice of the Peace Fred Buck. An autopsy has been ordered. Castillo, who appeared to be under the influence of an intoxicant, sustained non-incapacitating injuries that did not require medical treatment.
This investigation is ongoing and no other information is available for release.
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Officials with the San Angelo Police Department have been closely monitoring health officials in response to the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the disease it causes, named “coronavirus disease 2019” (COVID-19). At this time, no one knows how severe this outbreak will be.
Given this uncertainty, and the fact that the seasonal influenza (flu) virus is also widespread, civilian and sworn members of the San Angelo Police Department are taking proactive steps to address a number of concerns. Police Chief Frank Carter has enacted a comprehensive plan that will help reduce the unnecessary risk of exposure to our employees as well as the citizens we serve.
We are diligently working to maintain a safe workplace and encourage practices protecting the health of our employees, customers, and visitors to Police Headquarters and the SAPD satellite offices located at the City Hall Annex. Common areas that are open to the public are being routinely disinfected under standard infectious disease protocol. We also want to ensure the continuity of business operations during what the World Health Organization has declared to be a pandemic. At present time, the Department’s Records Section, Evidence and Property Release Unit, Alarm Services, and Administrative Offices are still functioning as normal.
In addition to the aggressive sanitation efforts, all Department non-essential out of town travel has been canceled until further notice.
Furthermore, in an effort to reduce the risk of unnecessary exposure to our officers and citizens, effective immediately, the Department’s Online Reporting feature will become mandatory for certain crimes until further notice. They are as follows; theft, simple assault, garage burglary, criminal mischief/vandalism, harassment, lost property (firearms excluded), identity theft, and debit card/credit card abuse. Please visit http://www.sanangelopolice.org/coplogic for a detailed list of instructions as well as a list of crimes that are not reportable online.
The San Angelo Police Department must maintain a healthy, functioning workforce to be able to respond to priority calls and emergency situations. Therefore, based on the information provided by health officials, these steps have been taken to mitigate the risk of illness to our employees and citizens.
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March 13, 2020 — 21-year-old Michael Gabriel Sanchez, the suspect accused of shooting and injuring a 24-year-old male acquaintance during an altercation at the Arden Ridge Apartments on Monday, March 9, 2020, has been arrested.
Sanchez was taken into custody this afternoon during a traffic stop conducted by members of the Department’s Anti-Crime Unit.
Sanchez has been charged with Aggravated Assault with Deadly Weapon.
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The 19-year-old driver that died in a single-vehicle crash in southeast San Angelo Thursday night has been identified as Austin Imboden of Round Rock, Texas.
Imboden was pronounced deceased at the scene by Justice of the Peace Fred Buck.
The preliminary crash investigation revealed Imboden was operating a 2001 Honda Civic westbound on Mobile Park Road when his vehicle left the roadway and collided head-on with a tree, causing the vehicle to ignite. A nearby resident was able to extinguish the fire. Several witnesses in the mobile home park community said the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed. The crash occurred just before 9:00 p.m.
Officers located alcoholic beverage cans inside the car; however, it is undetermined if Imboden was driving impaired at the time of the crash. Blood specimen results are pending.
This is an ongoing investigation and no other information is available for release at this time.
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Just before 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10, 2020, San Angelo Police were dispatched to the 2300 block of Dallas Street for the report of a man and woman riding bicycles and stealing mail from mailboxes.
Officers converged on the area and located the pedal-cyclists near Garfield and Dallas. During the investigative stop, the female pedal-cyclist lied about her identity and presented an identification card that did not belong to her. The woman was arrested for Failure to Identify and her identity was eventually confirmed as 28-year-old Yesenia Vera, who had three outstanding warrants of arrest. Vera was also in possession of suspected Methamphetamine.
The male pedal-cyclist, identified as 31-year-old Michael Guevara, was arrested for an outstanding Parole Violation Warrant. Guevara was also in possession of suspected Methamphetamine.
In addition to the narcotics, Vera and Guevara were in possession of multiple pieces of opened and unopened mail that belonged to various people as well as handwritten notes that contained personal identifying information and banking information that belonged to various people.
At the conclusion of the preliminary investigation, Vera was charged with Possession of Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, Fail to Identify Fugitive from Justice, and her warrants. Guevara was charged with Possession of Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, Possession of Marijuana and his warrant.
Detectives with the Department’s Criminal Investigations Division are conducting a comprehensive follow-up investigation into the large amount of seized mail and other forms of identifying information and they will work to contact the victims and return their documents in the coming weeks.
Additional charges are pending the outcome of this ongoing investigation.
If you have surveillance video of the pair accessing mailboxes or committing other theft in the area during the hours prior to the arrests, please contact the Department at (325) 657-4264 and reference case 2020-3478.
The Department would like to commend the citizen who observed the theft and had the willingness to report it.
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