SAN ANTONIO – A 19-year-old man who survived a 2022 shooting by a former San Antonio police officer will be transferred to a therapeutic sanctions facility after a judge ruled he violated his probation.
Erik Cantu was in court Tuesday for a hearing after being caught driving earlier this fall, despite a court order prohibiting him from doing so.
Cantu was previously granted seven years of deferred adjudication in September following two evading arrest charges. The terms of his probation explicitly barred him from driving for at least two years.
Judge Stephanie Boyd, who presided over the hearing, expressed frustration with Cantu’s actions.
“It is very clear that I told him he was not allowed to drive,” Boyd said during the proceeding.
Cantu’s attorney argued that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stemming from the 2022 shooting has affected his decision-making.
In that incident, body camera footage showed former SAPD officer James Brennand approaching Cantu in a McDonald’s parking lot, opening his car door, and shooting him as Cantu attempted to drive away. Cantu, who was 17 at the time, was seriously injured and spent months recovering.
During the hearing, Cantu’s therapist, Dr. Sunita Punjabi, testified that his PTSD contributes to impulsive behavior.
“He’s not getting the big picture because he’s trying to get it right, which causes him to hyper-focus and make bad decisions,” Punjabi said.
Prosecutors highlighted that Cantu not only drove to a probation meeting on Oct. 8 but also falsely claimed he had been dropped off. Additionally, he had taken a job with the online food ordering and delivery company DoorDash, which also involved driving.
Boyd acknowledged Cantu’s trauma but emphasized his dishonesty.
“He knew what he was doing was wrong,” Boyd said. “Instead, he chose to lie and drive to probation.”
Cantu will now be remanded to an intermediate sanctions facility, described as a modified therapeutic community. As part of the new conditions, he is barred from driving for the remainder of his probation and must wear a GPS monitor.
Following the judge’s decision, Cantu apologized in court, saying, “I apologize for the inconvenience and problems.” Judge Boyd urged him to “internalize and realize” the consequences of his actions.
Meanwhile, Brennand is set to go to trial for the shooting incident next spring.
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