By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Former Sonora Police Department Chief Donald Edward Fernandez Jr. has been arrested
following his indictment on two felony family violence charges.
Fernandez, a Del Rio native who formerly served as an officer
with the Del Rio Police Department, was arrested in late September when he turned himself in at the Val Verde
County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation was conducted by the Del Rio Police Department and the Texas Rangers.
According to the indictment filed in state district court in Del Rio, Fernandez has been charged with two counts of the offense of assault of a pregnant person, both third-degree felonies.
The indictment states “on or about” April 5, 2022, Fernandez allegedly assaulted a woman with whom he “had or has had a dating relationship” and whom he knew was pregnant at the time of the assault. The incident from which the indictment stems
allegedly occurred in Val Verde County.
Although the woman’s name is listed in the indictment, Texas law protects the identity of victims of domestic violence, and The 830 Times will not print her name at this time.
In the first count of the indictment, Fernandez is accused of “intentionally, knowingly and recklessly causing bodily harm to (the woman). . . by pulling the hair of said (woman).”
In the second count of the indictment, Fernandez is accused of “intentionally, knowingly and recklessly causing bodily harm to (the woman). . . by dragging the said (woman) on the floor by the hair.”
After he turned himself in, Fernandez was magistrated by Justice of the Peace Pct. 4 Hilda Lopez, who advised Fernandez of his constitutional rights and set bond at $5,000 for each count of the indictment, for a total of $10,000.
Sonora City Manager Arturo Fuentes told The 830 Times in a telephone call this morning Fernandez is no longer employed by the city of Sonora, effective today, Oct. 3.
Fuentes declined to answer any further questions regarding Fernandez’s employment by the city of Sonora.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com .
