by | Published
Eric Nathan Aldaco, a 35-year-old San Antonio resident with an extensive history of violent offenses, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison following his conviction for Harassment of a Public Servant, Obstruction or Retaliation, and Driving While Intoxicated.
The incident leading to his latest conviction occurred on August 13, 2024. Department of Public Safety Trooper Pennington observed Aldaco driving a white Buick sedan on IH-10 near Exit 537 and initiated a stop after Aldaco failed to slow down or move over for emergency vehicles at an active scene.
Upon contact, Trooper Pennington noted immediate signs of intoxication, including slurred speech and bloodshot eyes. Aldaco refused field sobriety tests and became combative during his arrest for DWI. He physically resisted, violently kicked the patrol car, attempted to exit after being secured, and deliberately spat on Trooper Pennington. Aldaco's disruptive behavior delayed a blood draw for seven hours, but it eventually confirmed his intoxication with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .120.
Throughout the encounter, Aldaco verbally abused officers, making explicit and threatening comments about Trooper Pennington’s family and stating he wished he could find the Trooper "out in the streets." He also claimed a history of assaulting officers, including a past aggravated assault charge for threatening an officer with a knife.
Trooper Pennington also observed a visibly distressed female passenger in Aldaco's vehicle with fresh injuries to her face, including a large red mark, a scratch, and a swollen lip. Though she denied Aldaco had struck her, her condition raised immediate concern.
Aldaco's criminal record spans from 2008 to 2024 and includes multiple felony convictions. In 2008, he faced an Injury to a Child charge in La Salle County, stemming from an initial indictment for sexual assault of a child, which he pleaded to a lesser offense. He also has federal convictions for Alien Smuggling in both 2010 and 2013, leading to substantial prison sentences and multiple supervised release revocations. In 2021, he was charged with Aggravated Assault Against a Public Servant in La Salle County for throwing a knife at a peace officer. His record further details a pattern of offenses across several Texas counties, including criminal trespass, assault, evading arrest, multiple DWIs, resisting arrest, escape from custody, and assault against a family member.
