Authorities said the suspect, 42-year-old Andrew Smierciak, is a teacher at Poe Middle School.
SAN ANTONIO — Bexar County authorities say a local middle school teacher who allegedly exposed himself to a 9-year-old girl was taken into custody after a good Samaritan followed the suspect as he was fleeing a northwest-side neighborhood Friday.
The suspect, 42-year-old Andrew Smierciak, is a teacher at Poe Middle School, Sheriff Javier Salazar said. He faces a third-degree felony charge of indecency with a child.
Sheriff’s deputies initially responded to the unspecified neighborhood around 3:40 p.m. Friday. According to Salazar, the young girl was walking outside when she passed a suspicious-looking vehicle whose driver “began smiling at her.”
“(He) then exposed his genitalia to her and began performing a lewd sex act on himself,” Salazar said.
The young girl at that point screamed, officials said, at which point a man in his 40s ran over to help. Salazar said the man followed the suspect’s vehicle as it was leaving and continued following until he was able to get the license plate information before confronting Smierciak.
“Let me say this with a word of caution: While we are extremely thankful for the heroic actions of this witness and we’re absolutely putting him in for a civilian award, confronting somebody in this situation is not something we recommend or endorse,” Salazar added. “In this instance, thank God everything worked out OK.”
Deputies eventually arrived to start their investigation and Smierciak was taken to be questioned. It’s unclear at this point if he lives in the neighborhood where he allegedly exposed himself to the child.
Smierciak was booked into the Bexar County jail early Saturday morning and assigned a $30,000 bond, according to online court records. He’s set to be released after posting bail.
Just two months ago, Smierciak was one of 30 local educators recognized by the Valero Alamo Bowl’s Extra Yard for Teachers program, which celebrates educators who “make a lasting impact in their classrooms and communities.”
Salazar said San Antonio ISD has cooperated with authorities in the ongoing investigation, adding authorities believe there could be more victims given the nature of Smierciak’s job. Anyone with information about him or who believes they may have been victimized by him is encouraged to contact the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office at (210) 335-6000 or by emailing bcsotips@bexar.org.
Smierciak doesn’t appear to have a previous criminal history in Bexar County and his employment status with San Antonio ISD at this point isn’t known.