A San Antonio Police Department officer was violently assaulted earlier this month, and the man suspected of the vicious attack has been taken into custody, authorities reported. According to KTSA, the incident unfolded on September 10 when a resident dialed 9-1-1 concerning a man resting in a chair in their backyard.
The responding officer, Joshua Primiano, instructed the man, later identified as 34-year-old Abel Joe Hernandez Jr., to vacate the premises. Initially compliant, Hernandez, changing course, returned to the scene and launched an ambush on Officer Primiano from behind, as KSAT obtained in an incident report. The officer was later found "profusely" bleeding from his head, prompting his current injured leave status.
The altercation quickly escalated, with the men grappling near a water fountain at the front of the property. During the scuffle, a rock became Hernandez's weapon of choice, as he repeatedly hit Primiano in the back of the head while placing him in a chokehold, a witness who called 9-1-1 described. More officers arrived shortly after to apprehend Hernandez and secure the scene.
Following Hernandez's arrest, he was transported to the Bexar County Adult Detention Center. There, according to an incident report obtained by KSAT, an unexpected discovery was made by the detention staff: Hernandez was caught on surveillance footage disposing of a small plastic bag containing a "clear rock-like substance" into another cell. The substance later tested positive for methamphetamine, adding a possession charge to his aggravated assault against a public servant.
Hernandez is now facing serious charges, including aggravated assault against a public servant and possession of a controlled substance. As for Officer Primiano, he remains on injured leave, recovering from the injuries sustained in the assault.
