San Antonio officer suspended after 124 mph Loop 410 pursuit ended in multi-vehicle crash records show

Disciplinary file details high-speed pursuit, cellphone use and collision on Loop 410

A San Antonio Police Department officer was suspended for 30 days after a vehicle pursuit on Loop 410 reached 124 mph and ended in a multi-vehicle crash, according to disciplinary records released through public-information processes.

The officer, Kirby Painter, was described in the records as a two-year SAPD veteran at the time of the incident. The suspension ran from Jan. 2 through Jan. 31, 2026, and cited violations tied to the safe operation of a patrol vehicle and engaging in an unauthorized pursuit.

What the records say happened on Aug. 3

The incident began around 4 p.m. on Aug. 3, 2025, when Painter attempted to stop a vehicle along Loop 410 on San Antonio’s North Side. Tracking data reviewed in the investigation documented the patrol vehicle reaching 124 mph during the event, including travel on the main lanes, access roads, and on-ramps and off-ramps.

• Investigators reported that body-worn camera footage showed Painter steering with one hand while holding a cellphone on speaker mode in the other.
• The records state Painter removed his seat belt while the vehicle was in motion.
• Investigators also documented emergency lights being turned on and off during portions of the pursuit.

The records describe the pursuit ending when the patrol vehicle collided with a truck on Loop 410. The collision was followed by a secondary crash involving an 18-wheeler. The disciplinary file states the patrol vehicle’s emergency lights were not activated at the moment of impact.

The officer described the pursuit decision as a “mistake,” the records indicate.

Policy and supervision issues raised in the file

The internal review found Painter did not properly notify a supervisor that an active pursuit was underway and did not follow required pursuit procedures outlined in departmental rules referenced in the disciplinary materials. The same records indicate that SAPD policy limits pursuits in cases involving traffic infractions and certain lower-level offenses, reflecting longstanding law-enforcement guidance that weighs the public-safety risks of high-speed driving against the need to immediately apprehend a suspect.

The disciplinary findings focused on operational decision-making during the chase, including speed, lane positioning, and the use of in-car and personal communications while driving.

Broader context: pursuits and crash risk

Publicly available pursuit summaries released by the City of San Antonio in prior years show that crashes can occur during pursuits, including incidents involving speeds above 100 mph. Those summaries list a mix of termination outcomes, including supervisor-ordered terminations and collisions involving suspect vehicles.

The Painter case adds to a growing record of local scrutiny over how pursuits are initiated, supervised, and conducted on San Antonio’s busiest roadways, particularly when high speeds and distracted driving factors are documented in investigative files.