San Angelo K-9 Units Facilitate Arrests

On Saturday, December 28, 2013, San Angelo Police Officer J. Hernandez initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for committing a traffic violation near the intersection of Upton and Bell Streets.  Officer Hernandez followed the vehicle, which was occupied by two subjects, to the BelVue Apartments located at 517 N. Bell St.
While the vehicle was still in motion, the driver jumped out and fled the scene.  After the vehicle came to a stop, the passenger was ordered out of the vehicle and taken into custody without incident.  He was identified as Ubil Samaniego (DOB 11-21-89) of San Angelo.  Samaniego was arrested for an outstanding County Warrant.  Upon the initial observation of the interior of the vehicle, police observed suspected narcotics in plain view.

Additional patrol officers and SAPD K9 Units were requested to the scene.  A perimeter was quickly established and shortly after K9 Officer B. Gesch deployed his Police Service Dog Snoop, a human scent track began where the suspect was last seen fleeing down an alley.

Snoop led Officer Gesch and assisting K9 Officer H. Miller westbound in the alley and across Archer St. before turning south toward some structures.  During the track, the K9 Team located a black hoodie style jacket on the ground, which matched the description of the suspect given out by Officer Hernandez.  Snoop continued the track over a fence and toward two other structures.  As Snoop quickly rounded the corner, he engaged the suspect who was hiding between the buildings.  Snoop engaged the suspect’s leg as Officer Gesch ordered the suspect to surrender and stop resisting.  The suspect disregarded the orders and kept his hands near his waist.  After being given additional orders to comply, the suspect surrendered and police took him into custody.  He was identified as Christian Montanez (DOB 12-02-84) of San Angelo.

Paramedics were requested to the scene to evaluate Montanez.  He was transported to Shannon Medical Center by ambulance for treatment. Upon his release, Montanez was transported to the Tom Green County Jail.

During an immediate search of the area where Montanez was apprehended, police located a handgun, a magazine and a holster.

During a thorough search of the vehicle, officers located multiple items of drug paraphernalia, plastic baggies that contained a crystal like substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine, baggies of marijuana, and a BB gun.

Montanez was charged with Manufacture Delivery of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1>=4g<200g, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Evading Arrest/Detention (Prior Conviction), and Class A Possession of Marijuana.

On December 29, 2013, at about 01:40 am San Angelo Police Patrol units were dispatched to a motor vehicle burglary in progress in the 2300 block of Coleman. A resident in the area saw three subjects in her vehicle without her permission and called police.

Units quickly arrived to the area and a perimeter was established. Officer Jones and Rodriguez, who were riding as a 2 man unit, arrived at Westland and Waco and found a trail of property leading eastbound toward Howard St. 3 subjects were located in the north alley of Parkway past Howard. One subject, a 16-year-old male was quickly taken into custody. Two others ran away from the officers down the alley. Officer Jones gave chase and was able to keep them in view until they jumped some fences where he lost sight of them.

Since Officer Jones, Rodriguez and the other responding officers had established a perimeter, K9 Thor and his handler Officer Miller were able to deploy quickly. Officer Miller and K9 Thor started on the track. K9 Thor began to alert on a fence around Howard and Walnut, indicating a subject went through a wooden fence, Officer Miller then observed a female laying on her back in a yard.  The girl, 15-years-old, was taken into custody. Officers continued to search the area but the third suspect was not located.  The 16-year-old male and 15-year-old female were found to have stolen property from the vehicle burglaries on their person.

Both suspects told the officers that someone else put the stolen items in their pockets. They were transported to the Tom Green Juvenile Justice Center and booked in for Burglary of a Motor Vehicle. Several items belonging to the victims were recovered during the investigation.