The case of mistaken towing happened on Christmas Day 2024, but officials weren’t made aware until months later, records state.
SAN ANTONIO — A San Antonio police officer thought he was wrapping up a case on Christmas Day 2024, disciplinary records show, when he found what he thought was a stolen vehicle and had it towed.
However, according to records, the car Officer Eloy Cardenas had taken away only matched the reported stolen vehicle in make, model and color. It wasn’t the stolen car itself.
SAPD officials weren’t made aware of the mistaken towing until months later, in July 2025, at which point authorities found Cardenas “towed the vehicle without verifying if it was in fact stolen” and neglected to “complete an accurate report.”
Cardenas and SAPD superiors agreed to a one-day suspension as a result of the incident, records show. It was served on Nov. 9, 2025.