In a recent development within the San Antonio Police Department, a former officer, Philip Ortiz Jr., is attempting to regain his position following an indefinite suspension related to a domestic violence incident involving his then-girlfriend, Officer Martha Martinez. The altercation, which took place on November 7, 2021, after the couple returned from a wedding, led to Ortiz's arrest on a misdemeanor assault charge, as reported by KSAT.
Despite the dismissal of the criminal case against Ortiz in November 2022 due to insufficient evidence, the city's attorney, Erica Matlock, stated, "If you are found to have credible allegations of domestic violence, you cannot hold a gun and a badge for the city." During the incident in question, Ortiz is accused of assaulting Martinez by pushing her head against the truck window and pulling her hair after he went through her phone and found a contact he believed had been blocked. The altercation escalated once they reached their home, leading to Ortiz threatening to kill both Martinez and himself. These claims emerged during a video-recorded interview from the night in question, which was shown during the hearing, Martinez recounted her sense of vulnerability: "I don't have my phone. I don't have my keys. What am I going to do? Let him shoot me? Let me die there?" as reported by HeadTopics.
Additional details from the case reveal a complex and troubling situation where both parties were involved in physical confrontations. Ortiz's defense claims that Martinez was the primary aggressor, citing injuries such as a busted lip and a mark near his eye, according to HeadTopics. Meanwhile, a secret video recording made by Ortiz without Martinez's knowledge became a piece of evidence against him, as it seemed to show Martinez confused and questioning his recollection of events. "It led us to believe that a lot of those questions were almost staged," Sgt. Zachary Oliva, SAPD’s primary investigator for the case, explained.
Martinez also faced disciplinary measures with her own indefinite suspension after investigators discovered cellphone footage from April 2021. In that footage, Martinez pointed an unloaded gun at Ortiz and pulled the trigger several times. The complexity of the relationship and the occurrence of mutual abuses have muddied the waters. While Sgt. Oliva did find evidence of past altercations, the investigation into Martinez's alleged assaults on Ortiz could not conclusively determine an offense. Notwithstanding her alleged past conduct, Oliva believed that Martinez was the victim in this case. As of now, Martinez has not faced any criminal charges, and the appeal of her suspension is still pending.
