Domestic Violence Crisis Facing Maverick County
By: Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2015, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
Recent legal cases involving Maverick County residents highlight the growing Domestic Violence crisis facing Eagle Pass and Maverick County as well as the physical, psychological, and social trauma caused on victims and their families.
The most recent case involving Eagle Passan Luis Flores, age 45, whom is charged with aggravated assault of his wife, Araceli Flores, by physically attacking her and using a box-cutter knife attempting to take her eyes out during a domestic violence incident has brought much needed attention to the growing Domestic Violence crisis in the community. Luis Flores attack on his wife’s eyes caused Araceli Flores to lose her vision in one eye while surgeons performed sophisticated surgery in the other eye to save her from going completely blind.
This heinous and brutal attack occurred on February 3, 2015 while Luis and Araceli Flores were driving on the newly constructed Loop 480 in their pick-up truck and an argument escalated into a physical aggravated assault with Mr. Flores stopping the truck on the shoulder of the highway and dragging Mrs. Flores out of the truck into the brush cutting her eyes and body with a box-cutter knife.
Maverick County Justice of the Peace Dora Madera initially denied bond on Luis Flores but earlier this week set a bond at $1 Million in order for Flores to get out of the county jail. Flores remains detained at the Maverick County Tom Bowles Law Enforcement Center.
Another recent domestic violence case which resulted in the tragic death of the victim was that of Eagle Passan Jaime Jimenez, age 38, a Kickapoo Tribe member, who stabbed multiple times in the chest and body of his girlfriend, Jessica Lenora Colecio, age 37, at his residence on Bryan Street in Eagle Pass on December 6, 2013. Colecio had four minor children.
On February 5, 2015, Visiting Judge Paul Canales from San Antonio, Texas sentenced Jimenez to 25 years in the state penitentiary of Texas for the murder of Colecio in a plea agreement reached between District Attorney Roberto Serna and Jimenez’s attorney, Greg Torres, and approved by 293rd Judicial District Judge Cynthia Muniz in October 2014.
Many Maverick County citizens have complained that the 25 year sentence given to Jimenez was too low for the murder offense of Colecio.
The Eagle Pass Business Journal investigation discovered that there were many 911 telephone calls from Colecio to the Eagle Pass Police Department and Maverick County Sheriff’s Department before the tragic incident on December 6, 2013 and that Jimenez had several misdemeanor cases pending in Maverick County Court for assault and terroristic threats against Colecio and was out on bond on these cases before December 6, 2013.
The Jimenez case reflects the law enforcement, legal, and judicial systems inability to stop domestic violence cases from happening and reoccurring in Eagle Pass and Maverick County to the detriment of the victim, the victim’s children and family, and the community.
Yet another tragic domestic violence case involved the murder of Eagle Passan Blanca Herrera, age 49, by her husband, Homero Flores, stabbing her multiple times on her chest and body with a small knife and later attempting to commit suicide but failing to do so. The Blanca Herrera incident was on October 9, 2013. Homero Flores is out on bond facing murder charges and his case is expected to be heard in the immediate future. The record shows there were many 911 telephone calls to the Eagle Pass Police Department from Blanca Herrera prior to the tragic October 9, 2013 incident.
In addition, there are thousands of domestic violence cases reported every year to the Eagle Pass Police Department and Maverick County Sheriff’s Department while another equally number of cases go unreported to law enforcement authorities by victims for fear of retaliation and more serious physical and psychological harm by the abuser.
Both Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber and Eagle Pass Chief of Police Alberto Guajardo have stated that the largest percentage of 911 emergency telephone calls they receive concern domestic violence issues, highlighting the severity of domestic violence in the community.
Many domestic violence cases result from alcohol abuse, drug abuse, financial problems or disputes, low self-esteem, psychological problems, mental illness, jealousy, anger management problems, family feuds, moral issues, and many other reasons.
What is clearly evident from these domestic violence cases in the community is that there are insufficient and inadequate law enforcement, legal, judicial, psychological, psychiatric, mental illness, family counseling, educators, and overall support systems to effectively control, manage, and adjudicate domestic violence cases in Eagle Pass and Maverick County despite current and existing resources.
There is not a better time than now to hold a community or regional-wide domestic violence conference between all stakeholders and participants in Eagle Pass, including victims, law enforcement, legal, judicial, women’s groups, social services, psychological providers, psychiatric providers, mental health providers, local businesses, public health providers, and any one interested and concerned about domestic violence in Eagle Pass and Maverick County. Such a conference may be held at the City of Eagle Pass International Center for Trade during the spring of 2015.
The growing domestic violence crisis in the community begs everyone to meet, discuss, and solve this serious and tragic dilemma gripping Maverick County and surrounding communities. The Eagle Pass Business Journal will gladly participate and support in such conference and endeavors.
Eagle Pass Police Chief Alberto Guajardo requests anyone having domestic violence issues to please call the Eagle Pass Police Department at 911 or (830) 773-9044 for assistance. Likewise, Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber requests Maverick County residents to call the Sheriff’s Department at (830) 773-2321 to report domestic violence and/or for assistance.
In 2012, Texas had 114 deaths resulting from domestic violence cases, including 60% were shot, 17% were stabbed, 11% were strangled, 8% were beaten, and other reasons.
In Maverick County, the Wintergarden Women’s Shelter offers counseling, temporary housing, and legal services to victims of domestic violence. Carolina Gonzalez manages their Eagle Pass office and may be contacted at (830) 757-5188 and their office is located at 253 Ruelas Street in Eagle Pass.
