A 25-year veteran of the San Antonio Police Department is facing a felony charge after police say he fired a gun toward a delivery driver during an off-duty parking dispute. Officer Mark Castillo, assigned to the department's Patrol Division, was arrested on a warrant and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to SAPD.
The alleged confrontation happened on Sept. 26, when Castillo, who was off duty at the time, got into an altercation with a DoorDash delivery driver over a parking spot, as reported by News 4 San Antonio. An affidavit cited by KSAT says Castillo had an altercation with a man over the parking dispute, and surveillance video appears to show Castillo reaching for a gun as the victim drove away. According to that same affidavit, he then fired in the direction of the victim.
Veteran Officer Now Facing Felony Charge
Castillo has 25 years of service in the department's patrol division, the station's report notes. SAPD said he has been placed on administrative duty following his arrest, and the department is conducting both a criminal investigation and an internal review of the incident, per the same account from News 4 San Antonio.
Accounts differ on Castillo's custody status following the arrest. The San Antonio Express-News reported that Castillo was awaiting booking into the Bexar County Jail, while News 4 San Antonio reported that he appeared before a judge and was officially booked into the jail. The Express-News, which first reported the arrest, said it had requested Castillo's arrest warrant and was awaiting a response, noting the warrant is expected to provide more information about the circumstances of his arrest.
Part of a Larger Pattern This Year
Castillo's arrest is not an isolated case within the department. He is the 10th SAPD officer arrested this year, according to KSAT.
Under Texas law, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon is defined under the state's Texas Penal Code, which covers assaults in which a person causes serious bodily injury or uses or exhibits a deadly weapon during the commission of an assault. SAPD's general manual, which governs the department's own personnel procedures, allows officers to be placed on administrative duty or administrative leave when they are arrested or charged with a criminal offense, among other circumstances.
