What started as a quick pharmacy stop on the South Side turned into a terrifying confrontation, according to San Antonio police, who say a man pointed a handgun at his former partner in a Walgreens parking lot, then slammed his truck into her car during a brief chase on May 28.
The woman managed to get away and call for help. The man, identified in court records as Christopher Adam Avina, is now facing a felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge. Investigators say the two had been in a relationship for roughly 15 years and share a child.
According to the arrest report, as reported by WOAI, the woman told detectives she had been separated from Avina for several months and that he had been following and harassing her during that time. She said he called her workplace repeatedly, to the point that a manager transferred her to a different location to get away from him.
On May 28, after finishing her shift, she stopped at a Walgreens on Southwest Military Drive to pick up medicine. She told police that Avina pulled his white pickup in front of her vehicle, blocking her from leaving the parking space.
Charges And Custody
Court documents list the suspect as Christopher Adam Avina. A Bexar County Central Magistrate entry shows he was booked into the county adult detention center and is being held on a $75,000 bond. The record lists a single count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The same Bexar County Central Magistrate database reflects the booking under that name.
Parking-Lot Showdown
The woman told investigators that as she sat in her vehicle, Avina rolled down his window, pointed what appeared to be a large black handgun at her, and yelled at her. She said she feared he was about to shoot.
She backed out and tried to escape the lot, but police say Avina followed in his truck. According to investigators, he crashed into the rear of her vehicle before driving away. The woman told officers she believed she could be killed in the encounter.
Detectives also noted they were already looking into prior harassment complaints involving the same two people, according to WOAI.
What An Aggravated Assault Charge Covers
Under Texas law, aggravated assault is charged when a person commits an assault and either uses or displays a deadly weapon, or causes serious bodily injury. Penalties can be increased if the case includes family-violence findings or other aggravating factors. The full statutory language is laid out in Texas Penal Code §22.02.
The case remains under active investigation. Future public court filings and docket entries will determine Avina's next court appearances. This story will be updated if additional official information becomes available.
