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OCPO finds officers failed to document witness claims in crash-and-assault incident; board affirms findings
Summary
An independent OCPO review concluded officers did not record an alleged driver-switch and later threats in a December crash/assault incident involving Abdul Samad. The board accepted the investigator's findings and urged DPD leadership on additional training and supervisory review.
An independent review by the Office of Community Police Oversight concluded Dallas officers did not document a vehicle driver-switch claim and delayed incorporating related witness information into police reports following a December 2024 crash and subsequent alleged assault. The OCPO investigator presented findings to the board on June 10; the board voted to accept the report.
What the investigator found: Greg Huff reported that body-worn camera footage shows the complainant, Abdul Samad, telling officers that a female occupant was not the driver and that a male driver had left the scene. Footage also recorded officers discussing the alleged driver switch and a sergeant telling Samad the driver-switch information would be included in reports. The formal crash report and subsequent reports, however, did not reflect an alleged driver switch; a later assault report noted a delayed recording of the other vehicle's threatening conduct. Huff found that officers failed to fully investigate and document the conflicting witness statements.
Board action and recommendation: The board accepted the investigator’s findings — sustained for failure to investigate against Officer Medina Cervantes and Corporal Jonathan Martinez — and urged DPD leadership to consider additional training and supervisory review to ensure thoroughness in incidents involving conflicting witness statements. OCPO did not specify disciplinary recommendations but emphasized improved documentation and supervisory oversight.
What this does not conclude: The investigator did not allege criminal wrongdoing by specific supervisors; investigators were unable to interview the involved officers for the independent review. The report recommended improved supervisory review, better documentation practices and outreach to investigators and dispatch to capture relevant camera footage and follow-up leads.
Ending note: The board instructed OCPO and IAD to follow up on training recommendations and supervisory controls to reduce future documentation gaps in crash and assault incidents.
