Dallas Police Association President placed on leave after fatal crash

DALLAS – A Dallas police officer has been placed on administrative leave as the department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates a fatal crash from earlier this year. 

An attorney representing the victim’s family says a lack of transparency has only fueled their frustration.

Officer on leave after fatal crash 

What we know:

According to Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux, Senior Corporal Jaime Castro was placed on administrative leave last Friday. The department would not provide further details, saying only that the internal investigation remains active and ongoing.

DPA President identified

The backstory:

The case dates back to March 15, when Atianna Washington was struck and killed while crossing the 2500 block of West Northwest Highway. Police said the vehicle involved stopped at the scene.

FOX 4 cameras captured Castro, wearing a white T-shirt, speaking with other officers and shaking hands at the scene that night. 

Castro, a 26-year veteran of the department, joined the Dallas Police Department in 1998 and is currently assigned to the Operational Technology and Alarm Unit. 

He was elected president of the Dallas Police Association in January after serving on its executive board since 2016.

Questions on driver’s identity

What they’re saying:

Attorney Scott Palmer, who represents Washington’s family, said the family has struggled to get answers from police.

“When there’s an investigation into one of their own, an internal affairs investigation, we typically don’t get a lot of information,” Palmer said. “We don’t get reports, we don’t get body cams. So, it’s frustrating.”

Palmer said questions about who was driving the vehicle that hit Washington have lingered since the night of the crash.

“There’s always been an open question in my client’s mind, and in ours, as to who was driving,” he said. “The crash report says it was the girlfriend,” said Palmer.

Police have not identified Castro’s girlfriend, and no criminal charges have been filed in the case.

Internal investigation status

Dig deeper:

When contacted by FOX 4 on Thursday, Castro’s attorney declined to comment.

Palmer said he believes the internal affairs investigation is now gaining traction but expects the process to move slowly.

“There’s a lot of questions, very few answers,” he said. “She is the victim here. She’s young. She’s no longer able to speak for herself. That’s why the reports and the witness statements are all important. But we have a loss of life here, and this is critical, this is serious.”

What’s next:

Dallas police have not said whether the internal affairs investigation is directly related to the March crash. 

FOX 4 has requested body camera video, incident reports, and internal police records connected to the case.

The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office has not yet said whether the case will be presented to a grand jury.