Monday, April 25, 2011
Houston Police Officer Faces Jail Over DUI Wreck With School Bus
Houston, Texas
Another incident of police misconduct surfaces involving one of Houston’s finest. The veteran officer, 46-year-old Ruben Trejo, had a blood-alcohol content of .205 – more than twice the legal limit when he collided with a private school bus while heading to work. The incident happened on April 13.
Trejo was charged Monday with driving while intoxicated. The legal limit for intoxication is 0.08. The Eastside Patrol Division sergeant, although intoxicated, was on his way to work.
Fortunately, there were no children on the bus. The driver, who suffered minor injuries, told police that Trejo smelled like alcohol and appeared to have been drinking. Crime scene photos verify wine bottles in the back seat.
On the day of the accident, however, fellow officers cited the bus driver and claimed the bus ran a red light. Other witnesses said officers at the scene threw a towel over alcohol and threatened to arrest anyone who took photos.
Trejo joined the force in November 1985 and has worked with the Eastside Division since 1991.
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You don't want to forget about Capt. Robert Manzo who spearheaded the cover up of the DWI. Still insisting that there was no alcohol or other illegal substances involved in the accident, Capt. Robert Manzo made another statement to the press. “We have full confidence in the fact that there would not be any substances of concern found on the sergeant.”
What we now know is that Sgt. Trejo actually had a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit. We know that he returned to work for nearly two weeks after the accident as if nothing had happened.
Executive Assistant Chief Dirden, who is over the Internal Affairs division (“IAD”), admitted in an interview that none of the officers on the accident scene, including Capt. Manzo, had reported any information from which IAD could open an investigation.
We know that Capt. Robert Manzo and a number of the officers on the accident scene were, in fact, aware at the time that there was alcohol in Sgt. Trejo’s truck based on pictures that were taken of the truck and accident scene.
We also now know that Sgt. Trejo arrived at the hospital with a blood-alcohol content of .205 – nearly three times the legal limit. We know that Sgt. Trejo was only minutes from climbing behind the wheel of an HPD vehicle where he was to supervise an entire shift. We know that Sgt. Trejo was not placed under arrest at the time of the accident or at the hospital. And finally, we know that Capt. Robert Manzo, the supervisor and ranking officer on the accident scene failed in his duty to report any of this to his supervisors.
Each and every decision Capt. Manzo made on April 13th was a violation of the public trust. His efforts to cover up Trejo’s crimes began as soon as he arrived at the accident scene. He used his rank and position to direct the actions of the officers under his command to assist with this cover up insuring the omission of particular information in their reports and eventually falsifying his own report.
Captain Robert Manzo should be charged with official misconduct for his role in attempting to cover up a car accident resulting from driving under the influence of alcohol. Additionally he should be charged with official misconduct, conspiracy to commit official misconduct, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud and insurance fraud if Teresa Arguete's insurance policy pays a claim to Trejo.
Law is equal to all, it's proven by this conviction.
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