A seven-year Houston police veteran resigned after being accused of lying about a road rage incident while he was off duty in 2021.
A Harris County grand jury indicted 30-year-old Juan Miguel Ramos earlier this week. He’s charged with fabricating physical evidence.
According to records, the road rage incident happened in April 2021 at the intersection of FM-1960 and Richey Road.
No one was hurt, but Ramos called 911 and filed a police report claiming a woman pointed a firearm and threatened to kill him.
It turns out that investigators believe Ramos was lying.
Records state: “He made statements in an email, verbal statements on a 911 call, and on a body-worn camera recording with knowledge of its falsity and with intent to affect the course and outcome of the investigation.”
The now-former police officer turned himself in Friday, two days after the Houston Police Department revealed the indictment.
He was able to get fingerprinted, take his mugshot, and then walk out the doors of the Harris County Joint Processing Center because he was released on a personal recognizance bond, meaning he was allowed to walk out without paying anything and expected to appear at his next court date.
In 2021, after the incident, HPD suspended Ramos following an internal affairs investigation, but he appealed his suspension and was reinstated.
Now that a grand jury indicted him, HPD Chief Troy Finner said Ramos had been relieved of duty before his formal resignation on Friday.
Investigators have been working for the last two days to obtain more information on the details of the road rage incident and why police believe Ramos lied.
HPD has redacted almost all the information about its former colleague, calling this “a confidential case” and adding that a public information request must be filed.
Reporters spoke with Ramos on the phone, but he told us he had no comment. His next court date is set for December.
UPDATE: Booking photo of Juan Miguel Ramos, 30, who turned himself in at the Harris County Joint Processing Center.
Ramos submitted his letter of resignation to HPD, effective today.#hounews https://t.co/IBOixW13Lu pic.twitter.com/WRHqXMcygv
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) October 13, 2023
