Charges dropped against Black jogger detained during San Antonio police investigation

SAN ANTONIO — Charges were dropped Tuesday against a Black jogger who refused to give police his information while he was detained during a family violence investigation, the man’s attorney said.

Mathias Ometu, 33, of San Antonio, was originally charged with two felony counts of assaulting a peace officer and spent two days in the Bexar County Jail, KSAT reported. His attorney, Adam Kobs, confirmed that charges were dropped after police released the body camera footage of Ometu’s arrest.

He was detained Aug. 25 after police said he matched the description of a man wanted on suspicion of choking his ex-wife, KENS reported. Ometu was arrested and booked on the felony charges after police alleged that Ometu kicked officers when they handcuffed him attempted to put him into a patrol car, the television station reported.

The suspect police sought, Darren Smith Jr., was arrested Friday on an unrelated robbery warrant, KSAT reported

Kobs said he met with Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales to discuss the case, according to KENS.

“We appreciate Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales looking at these cases immediately and doing the right thing,” Kobs told reporters. “He, his staff and I met yesterday and spent many hours over the last few days reviewing the evidence.”

In a statement, Gonzales said dismissing all charges was “the just outcome” of the case.

“It is important to note the officers involved in this case have requested dismissal as well, Gonzales said. “Neither officer wishes to have him incur any future consequences are a result of this incident. This case is one of competing interests. It is the officer’s duty to investigate and detain a person of interest that may be a suspect in a crime versus a citizen’s right not to disclose their identification where no arrest has been made.

“In this case, the officers did have a description that led them to believe that Mr. Ometu may have been the suspect they were seeking. However, Mr. Ometu was not that person and did not have an obligation to identify himself or make a statement. Ultimately, the officers agree that dismissal is in the interest of justice.”

Ometu’s arrest record no longer appears on the Bexar County website.

In the body camera footage, one officer asks Ometu why he refused to provide identification.

“Because I’m working out and you’re bothering me,” Ometu said. “I’m being bothered on a (expletive) normal run.”

When the officer explains that Ometu matched the description of a domestic violence suspect, Ometu said, “I don’t care what description. I just want to do my damn run.”

San Antonio police Chief William McManus said in a Tuesday memo that the officers acted appropriately. In a statement Tuesday, he called Ometu’s arrest “an unfortunate situation for everyone involved.”

“Although he fit the description of a domestic violence suspect, Mr. Ometu was doing nothing wrong when he was stopped, and the officers were only doing their jobs when they stopped him,” McManus said. “Both officers wish that things had turned out differently given Mr. Ometu turned out not to be the suspect. Although the police officers were assaulted, they were not injured. As such, they have asked that the charges against Mr. Ometu be dismissed. They also do not want Mr. Ometu to suffer any adverse consequences from the incident.

“Both officers felt it important to use this incident as an opportunity for unity and understanding at a time when it is most needed. It is clear that pursuing charges against Mr. Ometu would not bring us closer to our goals of building trust and creating partnerships with our community. We have invited Mr. Ometu to start a dialogue on policing in San Antonio, and that invitation will remain open.”

Cox Media Group