The Sunday started with mimosas. By the time it ended, a New Braunfels firefighter was shirtless, bleeding, and sprinting toward Schlitterbahn while police threatened to tase him.
That firefighter was Mark Alan Gonzales, a city employee now suspended for 15 days without pay after an internal investigation confirmed what police, colleagues, and bar staff witnessed that night: a marathon of drinking, fights, and profanities that ended in jail.
The brunch that kept going
It was April 13, 2025. Around 11:30 a.m., Gonzales and three firefighter friends gathered at a Cibolo bar. Over food, he tossed back four mimosas and two or three shots. When one firefighter bowed out, the rest decided the party wasn’t over — next stop: Das Rec, the city’s recreation center.
But first, a pit stop at a QT store. Two seltzers went into tumblers. On the pickleball courts, Gonzales and a colleague sipped as they played, breaking a city rule before the night had even begun.
From pickleball to barhopping
By early evening, the group had drifted downtown. Neon lights. Live music. Lost and Found. Black Whale. Oyster Bar.
But the fun was unraveling. Bartenders cut Gonzales off. One threatened to kick him out. A colleague noticed Gonzales making flirtatious moves toward a female firefighter, who admitted she was uncomfortable. “Do you want me to say something?” he asked. She said yes.
A shirtless standoff
Around 10 p.m., things turned dangerous. Gonzales insisted on driving himself — and the female firefighter — home. His friend tried everything: call an Uber, drive him personally, even phone his wife. Gonzales refused.
Instead, he ripped off his shirt. His colleague put him in a chokehold, released him, only for Gonzales to jump into the man’s car and start the engine. Pulled out again, he was shoved against the vehicle. A single punch landed square. Gonzales reeled, bleeding. A security guard rushed in.
Moments later, police were on their way.
The courthouse encounter
Officers spotted him near the Comal County Courthouse: shirtless, bleeding, missing a tooth.
When they tried to question him, he walked away. They cuffed him for safety. He spat blood on a patrol car tire. When told to stop, he snapped back: “Cocksucker. Asshole. Motherf*er.”
An ambulance crew from his own department arrived, loaded him in, and drove him to Christus Santa Rosa. But Gonzales wasn’t done.
The walk-off and the chase
At the hospital bay, he bolted. He walked straight off toward Schlitterbahn.
Officer Rogers spotted him in the parking lot, shouted at him five times to stop. Gonzales didn’t. “I’ll tase you,” the officer warned. After a brief foot chase, police had him on the ground.
Still, he resisted. He tensed his arms, refused commands, then veered into the bizarre: claiming chest pain, saying he was pregnant, insisting he didn’t speak English.
The final straw
Back at the hospital, his behavior swung wildly. He called one officer a “stupid motherf***er.” He aimed his fingers like a gun, pretending to fire. And he dropped a crude antisemitic remark that the fire department later called “patently offensive.”
Doctors cleared him. Police booked him. Bail: $500. Charge: public intoxication.
The aftermath
Weeks later, Fire Chief Ruy Lozano issued corrective action.
“You engaged in improper conduct,” Lozano wrote. Drinking at a city facility. Violence toward a colleague. Public intoxication. Slurs at officers. All of it was sustained in the investigation.
The punishment: 15 days without pay. The warning: any more behavior like this could end your career.
A night to remember
What began with brunch cocktails ended with blood on a courthouse street, an officer shouting over the Schlitterbahn parking lot, and a firefighter in jail.
For Gonzales, it is now a cautionary tale written into city records. For the public, it’s a reminder: even those sworn to protect can fall hard when judgment collapses after one more drink.
Why Only Public Intoxication?
For all the chaos that night — the foot chase, the refusal to follow commands, the stiffened arms, the insults and slurs — Gonzales was charged only with public intoxication, the lowest-level criminal offense in Texas.
On paper, his actions could have supported more serious charges like evading arrest or detention and resisting arrest, both Class B misdemeanors. He fled from officers outside a hospital, ignored repeated commands, and had to be threatened with a Taser before being cuffed. Once restrained, he resisted officers’ efforts, tightening his arms and refusing directions .
So why just the minor charge? Officers often exercise discretion to keep cases simple, especially when intoxication clouds questions of intent. But the decision also raises eyebrows. Gonzales wasn’t a stranger — he was a city firefighter that police recognized immediately.
To critics, that looks like preferential treatment: a colleague in uniformed service being shielded from the harsher consequences an ordinary resident might have faced. To supporters, it reflects pragmatism — a public intox charge was enough to get him off the street, while the fire department’s internal discipline provided the real hammer.
Either way, the discrepancy leaves a lingering question: would anyone else, after bolting from a hospital and forcing police into a chase, walk away with just a $500 public intox bond?
Disclaimer
The content provided in this publication is for educational and informational purposes only. The Hawk’s Eye – Consulting & News strives to deliver accurate and impactful stories. However, readers are advised to seek professional legal counsel and guidance for their specific legal inquiries and concerns. The publication does not assume any responsibility for actions taken by individuals based on the information presented.
Additionally, while every effort is made to ensure the reliability of the information, the publication does not warrant the completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of the content. Readers are encouraged to verify any legal information with official sources and to use their discretion when interpreting and applying the information provided.
A Couple of Our Other Reads
You may be interested in our publishing on the 772 arrest notifications TCOLE received in 2024..
Or you may find our publishing on a newly elected Texas sheriff’s battle with TCOLE over the accuracy of his personal history statement of interest.
Follow Us on Social Media
If you are interested in staying updated on matters about your government in Texas and other important stories, trust The Hawk’s Eye – Consulting & News to provide reliable information that matters to you. You can follow us on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X, Reddit, YouTube, Tumblr, and LinkedIn to stay connected and informed.
FACEBOOK: TheHawksEyeNews
INSTAGRAM: Hawk_s_Eye_C_and_N
X: TheHawksEyeNews
REDDIT: TheHawksEyeCN
YOUTUBE: The Hawk’s Eye – Consulting & News
TUMBLR: The Hawk’s Eye – Consulting & News
LINKEDIN: The Hawk’s Eye – Consulting & News
Table of Contents
Discover more from The Hawk’s Eye - Consulting & News | A Texas News Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.