A San Antonio police officer was indefinitely suspended without pay after an internal investigation found he exceeded emergency-response limits, disregarded six red lights and struck another marked patrol unit. The May 26 disciplinary order says Officer Rafael Morado, a three year veteran of the department, then failed to report the collision and later gave supervisors an account that did not match recorded evidence. SAPD sustained two violations of its truthfulness rule in addition to violations involving emergency driving and the reporting of crashes involving city vehicles. The order, reviewed by The Hawk’s Eye, was signed by then-Police Chief William McManus and removed Morado from the department.

Four Minutes of High-Speed Driving

The incident began on Dec. 29, 2025, while Morado and another officer were responding to an assigned call under a Code Two designation. SAPD policy permits officers responding Code Two to exceed the posted speed limit by no more than 10 mph and requires them to stop at traffic signals before proceeding safely. According to Axon Fleet video and Automatic Vehicle Location records, Morado reached 65 mph in a 35-mph zone on Castroville Road and 60 mph in 30-mph zones on Guadalupe Street and South Zarzamora Street. The driving occurred during an approximately four-minute period between 3:13 and 3:17 p.m.

Investigators also found that Morado disregarded six red lights during the response. The locations included intersections along Castroville Road at Barclay Street and Southwest 19th Street, as well as several intersections on South Zarzamora Street. The order says the remaining locations were South Zarzamora at South Laredo, Merida and Ceralvo streets, along with a signal in the 1500 block of South Zarzamora. SAPD concluded that Morado violated separate provisions governing speed and traffic-control devices during Code Two calls.

Patrol-Car Crash Went Unreported

Before reaching the call, Morado’s patrol vehicle struck the rear of the other officer’s marked unit at Brady Boulevard and South Calaveras Street, according to the disciplinary record. Neither officer notified a supervisor about the collision, and both continued to the location of their assigned call. Central Patrol supervisors did not learn about the crash until Jan. 11, when an officer who was not involved reported damage to Morado’s assigned vehicle. By then, nearly two weeks had passed since the collision involving two publicly owned patrol units.

The order identifies Morado as the driver who struck the other vehicle, but it does not identify the second officer by name. It also does not state whether that officer faced discipline for failing to report the crash. 

Video Contradicted the Curb Explanation

Morado came forward on Jan. 12 after a supervisor asked during roll call whether anyone knew how the patrol vehicle had been damaged. According to SAPD, Morado verbally said he had struck a curb. He later completed a vehicle accident report stating, “it was unknown if contact was made with the lead vehicle or the curb.” Investigators concluded that both accounts failed to reflect what the Axon Fleet video showed. Morado’s unit striking the rear of the other patrol vehicle.

---

---

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 about a Texas judge filing a lawsuit over same-sex wedding refusals.

Or you may find our publishing on a TABC agent receiving a stipend for a degree he didn’t hold, 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
TUMBLR: The Hawk’s Eye – Consulting & News
LINKEDIN: The Hawk’s Eye – Consulting & News

---