Kimberly Esparza (2018)

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Overview

On July 5, 2018, San Antonio Texas Police Department Officers Elizabeth Montoya, Joshua Vega, and other officers were dispatched for a disturbance. Montoya arrested Esparza, who was six months pregnant.[1] Esparza was arrested for suspicion of burglary and was wanted on warrants for burglary of a building and burglary of a vehicle.[2]

While being searched, Esparza kicked Montoya, leading Montoya to finish the search with Esparza on the ground. When Montoya put Esparza in the back of the patrol vehicle, Esparza kicked her again. Montoya hit Esparza once in the right breast and struck Esparza seven times on the head.[1]

Esparza was charged with assaulting a public servant and resisting arrest, but the charges were later dismissed.[1]

On January 16, 2019, Montoya was indefinitely suspended due to use of "unnecessary physical violence" and treating Esparza inhumanely.[1]

In 2022, a third-party arbitrator reduced Montoya's indefinite suspension to 45 days.[3]

Video

Body-worn camera footage, Elizabeth Montoya

Body-worn camera footage, second officer

Officers Involved


Official Reports

Additional Sources

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Officer fired after punching pregnant woman, yanking her out of car by hair, records show, KSAT, 2019-02-27
  2. ↑ Mariah Medina, Fired by the San Antonio Police Department, these three officers still got to wear the badge, KENS 5, 2020-07-07
  3. ↑ San Antonio police officer back on the job after punching pregnant woman in the head, NEWS 4, 2022-08-24

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