A former Houston police officer indicted for tampering with proof in his personal highway rage incident was once accused of lying to investigators about a feminine motorist he stated pointed a gun at him and threatened to kill him all through the visitors forestall.
Internal affairs investigators exposed a video of the April visitors come upon which confirmed a traumatic verbal argument, however no proof the motorist threatened officer Juan Miguel Ramos. He was once suspended indefinitely Aug. 13, 2021 for lying to government, in line with new main points of the incident incorporated within the officer’s group of workers record.
Ramos appealed his suspension and returned to paintings in February 2022, and was once then gained remarkable and powerful rankings on his most up-to-date worker analysis.
“Has grown and improved since returning to the department,” in line with a Feb. 28 analysis. “Is never a safety concern to supervisors or colleagues. Is always willing to take on assignments when needed.”
But the investigation endured and previous in October, a Harris County grand jury indicted Ramos for tampering with proof from the street rage come upon. He promptly resigned from the pressure.
MORE ON CASE: Houston officer indicted, resigns after allegedly hiding proof all through highway rage incident
Officials with the Houston Police Department referred questions about how Ramos gained an enchantment of the suspension to the Houston Police Officers Association. Representatives for the union in the past stated the dep.’s prison crew dominated he may just go back to paintings when the woman who was once the sufferer within the highway rage case declined to testify.
A message left with Ramos’ protection legal professional within the legal case was once no longer right away returned.
Ramos was once a seven-year veteran of the Houston Police Department when he resigned. He was once sworn into the dep. in August 2016 and served as a patrol officer in numerous divisions, maximum lately the north patrol department, data display. His suspension and the fallout from the April 2021 highway rage incident was once no longer the primary time the officer had fallen afoul of departmental coverage, in line with his group of workers record.
In June 2018, Ramos reached an settlement to lose some paid time without work and served a one-day suspension to keep away from an extended suspension after investigators made up our minds he violated visitors regulations all through a police chase, data display. Ramos were in pursuit of a theft suspect when he broke visitors regulations and crashed right into a bystander car, inflicting greater than $1,000 in injury, the investigation discovered.
Between that suspension and the street rage investigation, Ramos’ supervisors gave him just right opinions, with handiest minor criticisms.
“Officer Ramos has had minor issues in day-to-day operations, but has shown vast improvement from training received for patrol operations,” a February 2021 analysis learn.
Four months later, Ramos was once notified he’d been relieved of responsibility and must stay house from paintings, data display. The suspension stemmed from an investigation into the April 20 highway rage incident.
Investigators started having a look into the subject after Ramos filed a file, alleging a woman had pulled a gun on him and threatened him whilst they argued in northern Harris County, data display. That day, a woman were ready to show left onto Richey Road from FM 1960 at a inexperienced mild with a number of cars at the back of her.
When the sunshine became inexperienced, she didn’t right away flip and every other driving force honked at her, in line with the investigation. She changed into agitated, however then became. Ramos adopted her on a motorbike after which drove at the flawed aspect of the street to move her. The woman stated as soon as he were given round her, he hit the brakes, calling it a brake take a look at.
The woman informed investigators she pulled right into a left lane when the street expanded so she may just return round him, with each drivers going thru a forestall signal, in line with the investigation. Ramos then sped again up as she were given caught at the back of every other car, and saved her from converting lanes.
The two drivers in the end stopped at an intersection and Ramos were given off his motorbike, in line with the investigation.
The woman informed police she used vulgar language and informed him to escape from her, and he replied that he was once a police officer, in line with the file. The two traded insults and argued sooner than Ramos returned to his motorbike, pulled subsequent to her, flipped her off after which drove away, in line with a video.
Ramos then drove to a police construction and reported that she’d pulled a gun on him and threatened him, in line with the investigation. But when referred to as in for wondering, the woman supplied investigators a splash digital camera from her car that contradicted Ramos’ file.
The woman stated she had pulled out a pistol when he approached her car on the intersection, however that she saved her hand on it and not pointed it at him, data display. Video verified her assertions, in line with the investigation.
Investigators later requested why he waited for video proof sooner than confirming she hadn’t threatened to kill him, data display. He stated it was once as a result of he was once within the warmth of the instant.
Investigators additionally made up our minds Ramos didn’t possess a license to power a motorbike, in line with the file.
Officials with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office didn’t right away reply to a request for touch upon when the case was once referred to their workplace.
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