Del Rio man faces felony charges after domestic violence investigation

A Del Rio police investigation that started as a late-night disturbance on Veterans Boulevard ended with Luis Abel Hernandez, 34, facing two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, assault causing bodily injury, possession of a controlled substance and four counts of violating a bond or protective order.

Police said officers were sent to the 1600 block of Veterans Boulevard at about 11:45 p.m. on May 29 after a caller, identified as Hernandez, reported that he was following an ex-household member because he believed she was driving while intoxicated. When officers arrived, they found both vehicles involved in a crash, and the case quickly broadened beyond a traffic collision.

Investigators said they had recently responded to a separate call at a home in the 100 block of Encinal Street, where Hernandez allegedly forced entry into the residence, removed several cellphones and caused bodily injury to a woman before leaving. Officers also learned that Hernandez had an active Emergency Protective Order, a fact that helped drive the arrest and charging decisions.

The police account says Hernandez’s vehicle struck the woman’s vehicle twice, causing the crash and placing her in fear of serious bodily injury or death. In Texas, aggravated assault can apply when an assault causes serious bodily injury or involves the use or exhibition of a deadly weapon, and state law can treat a motor vehicle as a deadly weapon when it is used intentionally to cause harm. The protective-order counts reflect the separate offense Texas law recognizes when someone is accused of violating court-ordered family-violence restrictions or bond conditions.

Police also said a search of Hernandez turned up a vial containing a green leafy substance that initially appeared to be marijuana, but tested negative after processing. A crystal-like substance found in his vehicle tested positive for cocaine.

Hernandez was later taken to GEO Correctional Facility pending magistration. The case adds to a statewide pattern that keeps family violence at the center of law enforcement concern, with Texas agencies reporting 250,048 family-violence offenses in 2024 and the Texas Council on Family Violence reporting 161 Texans killed in family-violence incidents that year. In Del Rio, the investigation shows how a domestic call can escalate into felony exposure when protective orders, alleged violence and a vehicle strike collide in one case.