SAPD officer charged with DWI in 2-car crash

An off-duty San Antonio police officer was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving after he allegedly fled the scene of a crash, the department said Tuesday.

According to police, officer Dezi Rios was involved in a two-vehicle crash about 9:48 p.m. Monday and then fled the scene. The driver of the second vehicle — a 61year-old man — followed and confronted Rios in the 17600 block of Bulverde Road on the North Side. Police said Rios assaulted the man before responding officers arrived.

Rios has been charged with DWI and failure to stop and provide information. Additional charges could be filed, police said.

Rios is a 14-year veteran with the San Antonio Police Department and is assigned to Northwest patrol. He has been on extended military leave since July 2019, but will now be placed on suspension without pay pending the criminal and administrative investigation, SAPD said.

This is not the officer’s first suspension. In 2018, he was suspended after what was described as an alcohol-fueled road rage incident ended in a shootout that left a man paralyzed.

On May 29, 2018, Rios, who was off-duty at the time, got into a confrontation with Demontae Lashun Walker in the parking lot of the Allstars Gentleman’s Club off Interstate 10 after Rios sped pass Walker to make the exit.

Walker shot Rios after it appeared he was reaching for something in his waistband, according to previous reports. Walker told police he was aiming for Rios’ leg.

Walker was rushing back to his car to call 911 when Rios returned fire, hitting Walker and his female cousin who was sitting in the car, according to reports. All three were taken to the hospital — Rios was hit six times; the woman was hit in the head; and Walker was paralyzed from the waist down.

Court documents show that Rios had been out drinking just before the shooting at a cadet graduation dinner at a Northwest Side Mexican restaurant and that he was intoxicated “to the extent that he was rendered unfit to report for duty,” a violation of police regulations..

No charges were filed against Rios. Walker, who was initially charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, had his charges dismissed by a grand jury in 2019.