SAFD fire cadet terminated after allegedly choking, forcing himself on woman

A San Antonio Fire Department fire cadet is facing assault and choking/strangulation charges after a Bumble date went wrong. SAFD has terminated the cadet after he allegedly choked a woman and attempted to sexually assault her in the back of his vehicle, according to a KSAT report. 

Shavano Park police responded to a home in late January for a report of an assault involving strangulation. A woman told police John Estrada, 24, “became aggressive in nature” while they were kissing in the back of his vehicle following a date, according to KSAT. 

The 23-year-old woman reportedly told police she knew Estrada from middle school and matched with him on Bumble, a dating app where they began speaking to each other around October 2023. The two met in person for the first time on January 27, according to a KENS5 report. 

Estrada allegedly became aggressive with the woman after she told him she didn’t want to have sexual intercourse. He then forced himself on her, using his legs to hold hers in place and forcibly unbottoning her pants while she repeatedly told him “no,” according to KSAT. 

The woman said Estrada began laughing as she begged to leave his vehicle. She then grabbed her purse, at which point Estrada “grabbed her throat from behind and squeezed so hard that she could not breathe,” reported KSAT. The woman said her vision became blurry and she almost “blacked out,” before finally breaking free from the vehicle. 

While at the San Antonio Fire Academy, police took Estrada into custody on January 30 and charged him with felony family violence. Officials then charged him in early February with unlawful restraint and attempted sexual assault, according to KSAT. Estrade reportedly posted bond on all three charges.