SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio police officer was suspended in December after handcuffing a woman who was only wearing a towel.
Officer Justin Stephenson was among nine officers who were suspended in the last month of 2019, according to documents obtained by KSAT 12 News.
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On July 14, 2019, Stephenson was called to a home on Larklair Drive for a family disturbance.
A woman at the scene had just showered and was only wearing a towel when Stephenson arrived at the home, according to the suspension document.
“Officer Stephenson handcuffed her before allowing her to put on any clothing,” according to the document. Stephenson “did not use sound judgement” in the incident, police administrators said.
After Stephenson handcuffed the woman, he threw her to the floor, pushed her face and put his knee on her back to hold her down. The altercation caused injuries to her face, neck and back “constituting unnecessary physical violence,” according to the document.
Stephenson was suspended for five days in connection with the incident.
Eight other officers were also suspended in December:
- Officer Juanita Lange was suspended for two days after failing to arrest a wanted person during a crash investigation and ending her body-worn camera prematurely.
- Officer Jonathan Coster was suspended for three days after striking a vehicle with his patrol car in the 10500 block of Huebner Road.
- Officer Jay Stultz was suspended for three days after damaging the laptop computer in his patrol vehicle.
- Officer Jorge Fraga was suspended for one day after striking a curb with his patrol vehicle in the 8000 block of Wurzbach Road.
- Officer John Mendoza was suspended for five days after striking a vehicle with his patrol car at the intersection of Commercial Avenue and West Formosa Boulevard. He was also suspended for 20 days after speeding and using his emergency lights to cross intersections without authorization. He was also cited for failing to use his camera properly.
- Officer Noel Ortiz was suspended for one day after wrecking into a crash guard barrel in the 6500 block of Interstate 10.
- Officer Jacob Block was suspended for one day after crashing into a vehicle with his patrol car in the 4300 block of Fredericksburg Road.
- Officer Joshua Casillas was suspended for one day after striking a curb at the intersection of East Southcross and South Flores Street.