What started as a splash of water from a puddle on East Houston Street turned into an apparent rolling gunfight on Interstate 10, according to San Antonio police, with a 2-year-old strapped into the suspects’ back seat the whole time. Investigators say the confrontation began when a passing car splashed water onto the suspects’ vehicle, then escalated into an exchange of gunfire on westbound I-10. Court records identify the suspects as 32-year-old Daniel Jude Jimenez Jr. and 29-year-old Lois Badillo-Lopez, who face felony counts including aggravated assault and child endangerment.
Dashcam captured the exchange
Detectives say the victim’s dashcam recorded the puddle splash, the suspects’ vehicle racing to catch up and an exchange of shots as both cars merged onto I-10. Investigators say they used the video to identify the suspects’ license plate. Officers later found a vehicle registered to Jimenez at his South Side apartment complex with what appeared to be a gunshot strike on the rear passenger-side door, according to KSAT.
Police: shooter and return fire
The man who called police told detectives that Jimenez lowered his window, waved a black handgun with a red-dot optic and opened fire. The caller said he then grabbed his own lawfully possessed handgun, returned fire and drove home before calling 911. Authorities say Jimenez and Badillo-Lopez did not contact officers after the shooting and instead disposed of spent shell casings, according to reporting by Univision.
Child in the back seat and charges
According to an arrest affidavit, Badillo-Lopez told investigators that a 2-year-old was sitting in the rear passenger seat during the shooting and that she pulled out her handgun, inserted a loaded magazine, chambered a round and handed the weapon to Jimenez. Both defendants have been charged with aggravated assault for discharging a firearm from a vehicle and with putting a child in imminent danger. Bonds were set at $150,000 each, and Jimenez has since been released on bond while Badillo-Lopez remained in custody, per KSAT.
A worrying pattern
San Antonio has seen multiple road-rage shootings this year that erupted quickly on city streets and highways, sometimes with children in the cars, underscoring how minor traffic dustups can turn violent in seconds. National coverage of a January case in which a 10-year-old was critically wounded during a separate road-rage incident illustrates the pattern local reporters and law enforcement have warned about, according to Law&Crime.
What’s next
Investigators say the case remains active as they continue reviewing evidence and prosecutors prepare formal charges and court paperwork. Anyone with video or information related to the July 11 shooting is urged to contact the San Antonio Police Department.
