Press Releases

A San Angelo Police Officer who followed up on a suspicious encounter is credited for locating two suspects involved in local Forgery cases.

James Christopher Carter (DOB 10-09-68) and Valerie Gilchrest (DOB 10-06-80) of San Angelo were arrested this morning on charges of Forgery Financial Instrument and Fail to Identity Giving False Information. 

The pair became the subject of a Police Broadcast Message issued by a San Angelo Police Officer who encountered the pair during an unrelated call just after midnight this morning.  During the unrelated call, Officer R. Francis became aware that he was being watched by the pair, who had just exited a UHaul Van at the Stripes Convenience store located at 1542 S. Bell Street. 

At the completion of his call, Officer Francis acted on his instinct and researched the shift's incident reports.  While reading the report of a Forgery/ Counterfeit that occurred in the 300 block of Koberlin Street, he noted the suspect's descriptions matched the descriptions of the suspicious subjects who were watching him, including the suspect's use of a UHaul Van.  Officer Francis issued a Police Broadcast Message, alerting other officers of the possible connection. 

Shortly after, SAPD K-9 Officer J. Fincher located a subject who matched the description sent out in broadcast message in the unit block of W. Avenue P, standing near a UHaul Van.  Additional officers responded to the location and Carter and Gilchrest, who both initially provided false information to police about their identities, were detained. 

During the field investigation, police observed printers and papers consistent with counterfeiting practices in plain view inside the van.  During a probable cause search of the van, police recovered additional items used in the counterfeiting process as well as evidence linking the pair to another recent Forgery report.  

Investigators with the San Angelo Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division and Crime Scene Investigations Unit responded to the location to assist with the investigation.  The counterfeiting items were seized and the vehicle was processed for evidence. 

Carter and Gilchrest are suspected of being linked to several additional Forgery investigations and additional charges may be filed. 

This is an ongoing investigation and more information will be released when it becomes available. 

***SAPD***

Carter

Gilchrest

One person dies after two vehicles collide in north San Angelo.   

On August 9, 2014, at approximately 10:30 pm, San Angelo Police responded to the intersection of E 19th Street and Marx Street for a vehicle accident.  Upon arrival, officers observed a Silver 2003 Pontiac Grand Am and a Maroon 2000 GMC Yukon in the roadway.   The Pontiac was occupied by a 69 year old driver and 24 year old male passenger.   The Yukon was occupied by a 21 year old female passenger only as the driver had fled the scene before officers arrived.   Due to the severity of injuries and because the driver of the Yukon fled the scene, San Angelo Motor Sergeant Kennedy and Motor Officer Loudermilk were called to investigate the accident.

San Angelo Fire Department personnel transported the occupants of both vehicles to Shannon Medical Center for treatment.   The driver of the Pontiac, Eulalio Giron, succumbed to fatal injuries he sustained in the crash.  The passenger of the Pontiac, Armando Cervantes, of San Angelo was treated for serious incapacitating injuries he sustained in the crash.  The passenger of the Yukon, Yecenia Sanchez, was treated for minor injuries sustained in the crash.   All three are residents of San Angelo.

Preliminary investigation shows the Pontiac was stopped at the intersection of Marx and 19th  Street  northbound.   The Yukon was west bound on 19th   Street.   The driver of the Pontiac failed to yield right of way and entered the intersection colliding with the Yukon.

Several hours into the crash investigation, at approximately 2:00 a.m. on August 10, 2014, San Angelo Police Officers located the driver of the Yukon at a residence on the north side of town and identified him as Bernardo Ponce (02/27/95).   Ponce was arrested for Failure to Stop and Render Aid Involving Serious Bodily Injury or Death and transported to the Tom Green County Jail.  This arrest was made without incident.  This is a felony of the second degree.

The accident is still under investigation.

Ponce, Bernardo 02/27/1995

A meme circulating on Facebook has several San Angelo residents scratching their heads and asking why a San Angelo Police Motor Officer would be using a drive through car wash.  Here is the backstory.

?SAN ANGELO POLICE, SEEMS LEGIT? was taken just before Motors Officer B. Bylsma entered the drive through carwash at H.E.B. last Monday.  Officer Bylsma was using the location to conduct surveillance on a stolen vehicle that had just been located in the store's parking lot. 

Officer Bylsma, along with Officers L. Cortinas, A. Nandin, and E. Hasty were dispatched to the location when the vehicle's owner called to report locating it.  Once on scene, officers spoke with the victim who pointed out his stolen 2010 Dodge Challenger, parked in the parking lot.  He said he followed the car to the parking lot after noticing someone driving it down Sherwood Way.

Officers positioned themselves in various locations throughout the parking lot to prevent the vehicle from leaving.  Officer Bylsma concealed himself and his motorcycle inside the carwash to conduct surveillance.  Once the suspects returned to the vehicle and drove away, Officer Bylsma radioed the surveillance team and a Felony traffic stop was initiated.     

The driver, Sally Duran (DOB 09-14-81) of San Angelo, was taken into custody without incident.  She was charged with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and an Outstanding Warrant for Parole Violation.  A male passenger was released at the scene.   It was LEGIT!

The Challenger was released to the owner.

This is an ongoing investigation and additional suspects may be identified and charged.    

***SAPD***

The San Angelo Police Department is pushing back the Civil Service Exam date to take advantage of the new hiring process agreed upon in the Meet and Confer proceedings.   The Meet and Confer contract, if approved, will take effect on October 1, 2014.  Those who have already applied will be receiving a letter from Human Resources with notification of the change.

Application Deadline:  Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 3, 2014 in the Human Resources Department, 72 W. College, Room 201, San Angelo, TX  76903.  Applications received after this date will not be accepted. 

Examination:    Rookie Police Officer Examination, Saturday, October 11, 2014

Location:            McNease Convention Center, 500 Rio Concho Drive, San Angelo, Texas               

Registration:     8:30 a.m. - NO LATE REGISTRATION.

For more information about qualifications and the hiring process visit http://bit.ly/SAPDRecruitingRequirements or call the San Angelo Police Recruiting Office at (325) 657-4331 or  (325) 657-4332, or, stop by the Recruiting Office at 505 S. Chadbourne, San Angelo, Texas 76903 You can email questions directly to: recruiting@sanangelopolice.org.

?I'll get this tweeting thing down eventually. #lemit training? ?Posted during recent Texas Police Chiefs Leadership Series (TPCLS) training in San Marcos, Texas, this Tweet sums up the Chief's honesty about being a novice on Twitter and his eagerness to learn the social media platform that will allow him to regularly connect with the citizens of San Angelo on a more personal level.

The importance of social media use in Law Enforcement was among the topics of the weeklong TPCLS Training that hosted an audience of Texas Police Chiefs.

Tweeting under the name of ?@ChiefTimVasquez.?, the Twitter newbie already has over 65 followers, but the number is expected to grow rapidly.

?The Department has been using social media since 2009, and we are doing a great job with it, but the interaction with the public has only been on behalf of the Agency.  I wanted to be able to participate in that interaction. I wanted to be more accessible.  To do that, I had to go where the conversation is taking place, and that's on Twitter?, said Vasquez, ?I hope to create a relationship of open communication and dialogue with their Chief.  I work for this community.  I also want to keep a constant line of information going out to our citizens through all available media outlets.?

Although San Angelo Police have been using Twitter to engage the public since June 2009, Chief Vasquez made the decision to come onboard recently after recognizing that citizens should have another go-to for police questions, concerns and interaction.  The official San Angelo Police Department Twitter account (@SanAngeloPolice) now has more than 2,520 followers and the Department's Facebook page (facebook.com/SanAngeloPoliceDepartment) currently has more than 11,000 fans and has an average reach of 25,000 people a week.  Both outlets have information on recent news releases, surveillance videos of suspects, department events, road closures, emergency information, severe weather alerts, along with other programs and services offered by the department.

***SAPD***