Michelle Barrientes Vela’s sons arrested, accused of assaulting San Antonio police officers

Former constable’s three adult sons charged with assault of a peace officer, interfering with duties of a public servant

SAN ANTONIO – The three adult sons of convicted ex-Bexar County constable Michelle Barrientes Vela were arrested Monday night, accused of assaulting San Antonio police officers who responded to a paramedic in trouble call at a Northwest Side auto dealership.

Michael Barrientes Vela, 21, Anthony Barrientes Vela, 25, and Carlos Barrientes Vela, 29, face charges of assaulting a peace officer and interfering with duties of a public servant, Bexar County court records show.

The brothers were taken into custody Monday night in the 1200 block of Bandera Road.

Paramedics were first called to the property for a report of a female being nonresponsive, according to San Antonio police.

Once on scene, SAPD said a paramedic requested officers come to the property after bystanders “started to get violent.”

The paramedic told police Michael Barrientes Vela attempted to get into the ambulance as the female was being loaded into it, an SAPD incident report states.

After the paramedic requested that the officer keep Michael Barrientes Vela from entering the ambulance, Michael Barrientes Vela pushed the officer and charged toward him to fight him, according to SAPD.

Anthony Barrientes Vela then jumped onto the officer and struck him on his back, the report states.

After another SAPD officer removed Anthony Barrientes Vela from the first officer’s back, Anthony Barrientes Vela and the first officer began to wrestle on the ground, according to police.

Carlos Barrientes Vela then jumped on the back of a third police officer, put his arms around the officer’s neck, and began squeezing, causing the officer to be unable to breathe and affecting his vision, the report states.

The second officer eventually deployed his stun gun on Michael Barrientes Vela, SAPD said.

Carlos Barrientes Vela then let go of the third officer’s neck, and officers were able to take all three men into custody, according to police.

While the men were then being searched, officers found a handgun in the front pocket of Anthony Barrientes Vela’s pants, the report states.

The second officer was eventually taken to a hospital for a possible dislocated shoulder, police mentioned.

Police said all three men were booked on charges of assault of a peace officer, interfering with duties of a public servant, and resisting arrest.

Anthony Barrientes Vela was booked on an additional charge of unlawful carry of a weapon, court records show.

Prosecutors rejected the resisting arrest charge against all three men and the UCW charge against Anthony Barrientes Vela was also rejected, court records show.

All three men are scheduled to make an appearance in 226th District Court on May 29.

That is the same court, coincidentally, that heard their mother’s felony tampering with records case in 2022.

Michelle Barrientes Vela was convicted of two felony counts of felony tampering with records after a high-profile trial that centered on her falsifying security payment logs at a West Side park.

Ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela. (KSAT)

Michelle was sentenced last year to five years probation, 90 days in jail, and 600 hours of community service.

Michelle Barrientes Vela remains free while appealing her conviction. Her appeal was moved from the Fourth Court of Appeals in San Antonio to the Eighth Court of Appeals in El Paso as part of a docket reallocation.

Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.


About the Author

Emmy-award winning reporter Dillon Collier joined KSAT Investigates in September 2016. Dillon's investigative stories air weeknights on the Nightbeat and on the Six O'Clock News. Dillon is a two-time Houston Press Club Journalist of the Year and a Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Reporter of the Year.

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