Investigation Continues for Houston Police Department Over Sgt. Ruben Trejo, Who Collided WIth School Bus While Driving Drunk

SGT. Ruben Trejo

We have an update to an earlier story, involving Houston Police Sgt. Ruben Trejo, who was charged with driving drunk following colliding with a school bus (while on his way to work). Houston police Chief Charles McClelland has confirmed he fired the patrol sergeant, but said the department's investigation of the incident is not over.

Union officials said they have been told that at least two HPD officers, including supervisors, are under investigation for unspecified misconduct on April 13, the day the officer crashed his personal vehicle into a bus in the 7900 block of Harrisburg while on his way to his job at the Eastside station.

Sgt. Ruben Trejo, 46, was fired by McClelland on August 19.  Trejo joined HPD in November 1985, and worked at the Eastside station since 1991.

The driver of the private school bus, who was ticketed in the wreck, told police Trejo smelled like alcohol, appeared to have been drinking and had open bottles of beer and wine in his vehicle. Trejo's late-model Toyota pickup was mangled in the collision, forcing responders to cut him from the vehicle.

According to witnesses, responding officers attempted to cover alcohol containers and threatened anyone who tried to take photos with arrest.

On April 25, two weeks after the wreck, prosecutors charged Trejo with DWI, alleging he had a blood-alcohol level of .205 - more than twicethe legal limit - when his blood was drawn at the hospital shortly after the collision. Trejo was wearing his HPD uniform when the incident occurred at 2:15 p.m., and he was on the way to begin his regular shift.