Harris County officer charged with DWI after leaving $3,000 in fence damage
A 21-year-old detention officer crashed into a Humble home, fled the scene, and was found by deputies tracking a liquid trail to his pickup truck.
By Isabel Moretti ·
Gerardo Segundo, 21, faces a misdemeanor driving while intoxicated charge after crashing his pickup truck into a private fence and fleeing the scene on Sunday. The Harris County Sheriff's Office placed the detention officer on administrative leave following the incident. Court records indicate the crash occurred around 1:50 a.m. in the Humble area, waking Alfonso Pineda and his family.
Pineda described the vehicle's approach as loud and close, with the engine revving before the impact. He estimated the repair cost for the damaged fence at $3,000. Pineda noted that his truck would have struck his wife and him, who were sleeping just a few feet away, had it not hit the barrier first. He stated he did not know Segundo was a neighbor or a law enforcement officer until after the crash.
Deputies from the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office located the vehicle by following a trail of liquid from the crash site to a residence several streets away. They recovered the damaged pickup and transported it back to the scene to match the remaining parts. Pineda said the driver left behind a truck bumper before disappearing. He expressed relief that authorities found the vehicle and the driver quickly.
Segundo refused a field sobriety test during the stop. Court records document bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and the odor of alcohol on the officer. He has served in the Harris County Sheriff's Office for three years. The initial arrest included a second charge of criminal mischief for the intentional damage to the fence.
A magistrate dismissed the criminal mischief charge at a probable cause hearing. The official determined that prosecutors had not provided sufficient evidence to support that specific count. The magistrate ruled that no probable cause existed for the additional allegation at that time. The DWI charge remains active.
No one answered at Segundo's home on Monday morning, and online records did not list an attorney of record for the case. The Harris County Sheriff's Office confirmed the officer remains on leave while court proceedings continue. The case is currently moving through the local justice system.
Source: KTRK-TV
