Monday night ended in handcuffs for a Harris County Precinct 3 deputy constable, after Guadalupe County authorities say they found him drunk and carrying a gun in the passenger seat of a vehicle tied to a hit-and-run near Seguin. Officials identified the deputy as Julio Valdez and say he was arrested on public intoxication and unlawful carrying of a weapon charges.
According to Click2Houston, a Guadalupe County deputy who was in the middle of an unrelated traffic stop in the 8500 block of IH-10 East heard radio traffic about a hit-and-run, then spotted the suspected vehicle. When deputies contacted Valdez, who was in the passenger seat, they reported a strong smell of alcohol, noted that he was unsteady on his feet, and removed and secured his handgun without incident. Valdez was then booked on public intoxication and unlawful carrying of a weapon counts, the outlet reports.
Guadalupe County Sheriff Joshua Ray addressed the arrest in a Facebook post, writing, "The Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office holds all individuals, regardless of profession or affiliation, to the same standard of the law," as relayed by Click2Houston. The statement did not offer additional information about the hit-and-run investigation or Valdez's employment status.
How Other Agencies Have Handled Similar Incidents
Law enforcement officers being arrested on similar allegations is not unique to Guadalupe County. A reserve deputy constable in Liberty County, for example, was arrested in College Station last November on public intoxication and unlawful carrying of a weapon charges, according to KBTX. That earlier case highlighted the awkward, cross-jurisdictional territory agencies enter when one department ends up arresting another's personnel.
What the Charges Mean
Public intoxication is defined in Texas Penal Code 049.02. It allows officers to arrest someone who appears in a public place while intoxicated to a degree that the person may endanger themselves or others.
Unlawful carrying of a weapon falls under Texas Penal Code 046.02 and can apply in several situations, including carrying a firearm while intoxicated or possessing a weapon in certain prohibited locations. The statutes lay out specific exceptions and potential penalties.
Both counts will move through the Guadalupe County criminal justice system and, at this stage, are only accusations, not findings of guilt.
Next Steps
Valdez is expected to continue through Guadalupe County's booking and court process, where prosecutors will decide whether to pursue formal charges. As of the latest reports, officials had not released further details about the reported hit-and-run or about Valdez's employment status with Harris County Precinct 3.
