A Bexar County sheriff's deputy is under investigation after video appears to show him striking a man with a marked patrol unit on a San Antonio access road. Family members identified the pedestrian as 62-year-old John Zielinski, who was walking along the Interstate 35 access road south of Thousand Oaks when the crash happened. The deputy involved, identified by the sheriff's office as Christopher Terrazas, has been placed on administrative leave while an internal review continues.
Video obtained by KSAT shows Zielinski crossing a driveway on the I-35 access road at about 11:50 a.m. on June 2 when a marked BCSO patrol unit moves toward him and makes contact. Dash and body camera audio captured on the scene includes the deputy shouting "oh s---" right after the impact. BCSO told reporters the deputy was involved in a crash at the time and location shown on the footage, and the Bexar County District Attorney's Office told KSAT there have not been criminal charges filed.
"He could have killed him," Zielinski's sister, Linda Coffman, told KSAT. The family has hired attorney Chavo Pastrano, who sent a nine-page letter to Sheriff Javier Salazar saying Terrazas "caused the crash and took deliberate and active steps to cover up his culpability" and that the deputy tried to pin blame on Zielinski for being intoxicated. Coffman said Zielinski is being evaluated for a possible traumatic brain injury and is scheduled to get an MRI.
BCSO History Of Vehicle Related Incidents
Incidents where deputies' vehicles struck people are not unprecedented in Bexar County. Reporting by the San Antonio Express-News has chronicled past cases in which deputies struck pedestrians and the resulting internal reviews, highlighting recurring questions about oversight and discipline.
What Happens Next
The sheriff's office says it has opened an internal affairs review, and the deputy remains on administrative leave while the department examines dash, body and surveillance camera recordings. The District Attorney's Office will decide whether to pursue criminal charges, and the family attorney has signaled the possibility of civil action if prosecutors do not file charges. For now, officials have declined to provide additional details while the administrative investigation is active.
