Executive Summary
- Dallas Police Senior Corporal Jaime Castro, president of the Dallas Police Association, has been placed on administrative leave.
- The action is connected to an ongoing internal affairs investigation into a fatal crash in March that killed Atianna Washington.
- The victim’s family attorney has raised questions about the identity of the driver of the vehicle involved in the incident.
- No criminal charges have been filed in the case, and the Dallas Police Department has not released specific details of its internal probe.
DALLAS – The president of the Dallas Police Association, Senior Corporal Jaime Castro, has been placed on administrative leave amid an internal affairs investigation connected to a fatal crash in March. The incident resulted in the death of Atianna Washington, and her family’s attorney has raised questions regarding the identity of the driver involved.
Investigation Details
According to the Dallas Police Department, Castro, a 26-year veteran of the force, was placed on leave on Friday. The department has confirmed the leave is related to an active and ongoing internal investigation but has declined to provide further specifics. The case stems from a March 15 incident where Atianna Washington was struck and killed while crossing a highway. Police reported at the time that the vehicle involved remained at the scene.
Senior Corporal Castro was observed at the scene of the crash on the night it occurred. He has served with the Dallas Police Department since 1998 and was elected president of the Dallas Police Association in January after being on its executive board since 2016.
Unanswered Questions
Scott Palmer, an attorney representing Washington’s family, has expressed frustration over a lack of transparency from the police department. Palmer stated that there has been an “open question” regarding who was driving the vehicle that struck Washington. “The crash report says it was the girlfriend,” Palmer noted, adding to the family’s uncertainty. Police have not publicly identified the girlfriend, and no criminal charges have been filed in connection with the crash.
Next Steps
Castro’s attorney has declined to comment on the internal investigation. The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office has not yet announced whether the case will be presented to a grand jury for consideration. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.