Abel “Chillidog” Martinez Jr., a trustee on the South San Antonio Independent School District Board of Trustees, was arrested Tuesday morning on one misdemeanor count of disrupting a meeting and one felony count of evading arrest with a vehicle.
Martinez posted bond for $8,500 and was released in the afternoon. His arrest was first reported by the San Antonio Express-News.
Documents obtained by the San Antonio Report detail a chaotic Oct. 18 board meeting, which devolved into a shouting match when Martinez arrived during executive session and allegedly began to berate Superintendent Henry Yzaguirre about obtaining camera footage “about a mysterious package that had been delivered for him to the district’s administrative offices.”
Board President Manuel Lopez asked Martinez to stop discussing the issue, since it was not on the agenda. Martinez then allegedly began to curse at him repeatedly, causing Trustee Cynthia Ramirez to shout at him, and Trustee Joe Araiza to step out of the room and summon the district police chief.
Affidavits from multiple trustees, a police officer and Yzaguirre describe a hostile scene where Martinez was escorted out, while cursing and recording on his phone, in an apparent violation of the Open Meetings Act.
Yzaguirre said in his statement to the police that “everyone felt an insecurity for their safety because Mr. Martinez’s behaviors have been threatening and unpredictable.”
“It is apparent that Mr. Martinez returned to the board … that night to not only disrupt the meeting, but to get confrontational with me and Mr. Lopez,” he said.
It is unclear what led to Martinez being charged with evading arrest.
The clash is just the latest episode for the embattled board, which has been under constant investigation by the Texas Education Agency for years and was recently sanctioned with the appointment of a conservator, who has the power to direct board action for the next 12 months.
That conservator, Abe Saavedra, had already been monitoring the district for more than a year, and has locked horns with Martinez on numerous occasions.
Saavedra declined to comment for this story, as did the Texas Education Agency, citing the episode as a “local matter.”
On the same day as the fracas in executive session, supporters of Martinez showed up to the public portion of the board meeting dressed as clowns — a reference to a comment made by Lopez directed at Martinez for the way he dressed (in shorts and a baseball cap) at a September board meeting. They were escorted out of the meeting after arguing with the superintendent and district police.
The district released a statement Tuesday confirming it was aware of the arrest, but declined to comment further since it is part of a pending investigation, adding that “the wheels of justice must turn without interference while the district focuses on improving student outcomes and achieving financial stability.”
