A spokeswoman with the San Antonio Independent School District confirmed that a man arrested Wednesday in connection with a deadly hit-and-run crash earlier this year worked as a school bus driver.
In a statement, spokeswoman Leslie Price said that Christopher Moreno, 37, had been employed by the school district since January 2017.
She said upon learning of his arrest, which took place at the SAISD transportation center, the district immediately fired him.
Moreno’s arrest comes on what would have been the 49th birthday of the victim, Cynthia Gomez.
“This is a very sad case because this poor woman lost her life over this,” said Sgt. Michelle Ramos, a public information officer for the San Antonio Police Department.
Ramos said detectives obtained surveillance video showing the incident, which they do not believe was an accident.
“The video surveillance shows her in the vehicle with this individual. It appears that he pushed her out of the vehicle. He did run over her,” she said.
The incident happened early on the morning of Jan.13 in the 8400 block of New Laredo Highway.
Police believe Gomez had walked away from a party nearby about an hour prior to the crash.
Ramos said investigators still are not sure how or why she ended up in Moreno’s car.
She said the two did not have a relationship and really did not know each other.
While being led away to a patrol car on his way to jail Wednesday morning, Moreno repeatedly declared his innocence to reporters.
“I didn’t do it,” he said. “I’m being wrongfully accused.”
Police, however, say Moreno’s arrest came after hours of thorough investigation.
Also caught on camera was his vehicle which had an unusual type of sunroof.
During an appeal for information through Crime Stoppers, police released a photo of a similar car.
“Our homicide detectives did an incredible job,” Ramos said. “They looked through state and federal database regarding vehicles.”
Moreno was booked into jail on a murder charge.