HOUSTON -- A man was charged with capital murder Friday after he allegedly shot and killed a police officer from the back seat of a patrol car, officials told KPRC Local 2.

Police said Juan Leonardo Quintero, 32, shot Houston police Officer Rodney Johnson, 40, after he was placed into custody during a traffic stop in the 9300 block of Randolph Street near Braniff Street shortly before 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.

---

Man Accused Of Killing Officer Appears In Court
Adrian Garcia Talks About Losing Officer
Slain Officer Was Decorated Hero
Police Officers Mourn Slain Officer

---

"(Quintero) was observed doing approximately 50 mph in a 30 mph zone, so it was a speed stop," Houston police Capt. Dale Brown said. "The officer, using his discretion, made the determination to arrest the suspect because he had a lack of identification.

"He handcuffed the suspect, at that time, behind his back, did a pat-down search of the suspect, and placed him in the rear of the police car."

Officials said that Quintero had a 9 mm gun hidden in his waistband and shot Johnson in the head four times as Johnson sat in the front seat. Quintero somehow managed to get his cuffed hands in front of him to fire his weapon, Brown said.

A tow-truck driver who was summoned during the initial traffic stop was first to arrive at the scene. When he approached the patrol car, Quintero fired at him once, but missed, Brown said. The tow-truck driver took cover and was not injured.

Johnson had activated the emergency key in his patrol car and additional officers arrived a short time later.

Investigators said the first officers who responded found Quintero in the back of the patrol car with the gun. Quintero was still handcuffed, officials said.

Johnson was transported to Ben Taub Hospital, where he died a short time later.

Investigators said Quintero gave a videotaped statement confessing to the shooting.

Police said a co-worker and his common-law wife's two daughters were in the vehicle with Quintero during the traffic stop. They walked home, which was a few blocks away, before the shooting.

Officials said Quintero's criminal history includes pleading guilty to sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl and driving while intoxicated. He was deported in 1999 but snuck back into the country, according to authorities.

Quintero is in the Harris County Jail with no bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Monday.

Quintero's common-law wife told KPRC Local 2 that he apparently had her gun. She is a private security guard.

"It was a tragedy that happened. OK? It was a tragedy. A fellow officer has died," said the woman, who did not want her identity revealed. "That poor family. My gun killed him. That poor family. I don't understand why."

"The weapon is believed to have been kept on (Quintero's) waistband -- on the right-hand side and apparently in the course of the pat-down, the officer just did not detect that the weapon was present," Brown said. "The suspect had multiple layers of clothing, common to working outdoors in the heat."

Quintero was working for a Deer Park landscaping contractor when Johnson pulled him over for speeding.

"My personal belief is that he was upset over being arrested rather than being written a ticket. And I believe he was upset because he knew he was going to be discovered as a deported alien -- that he would face several years in the federal prison system as a result of that before being deported again," Brown said.

A Decorated Officer

Johnson was a U.S. Army veteran who graduated from the HPD Academy in December 1994.

Johnson received two Lifesaving Awards from the Houston Police Department and the Medal of Valor from the state of Texas for his work on the Southeast Gang Task Force.

Johnson had been a board member of the Houston Police Officers Union since 1999.

He is survived by a wife, HPD Officer Joslyn M. Johnson; three daughters; and two sons.

"Officer Johnson just had a way about him where he always had a pleasant word -- always had a joke, always willing to help. You won't find anybody that will speak negatively about Officer Johnson," said Lt. Frank Ross, Johnson's friend.

"It hurts," former police officer and current Houston city councilman Adrian Garcia said. "These situations tend to chip away at you. It never gets any easier."

Garcia said the Houston Police Department would provide support to Rodney Johnson's family.

"The department has a wonderful family support unit," Garcia said. "They're the ones that, unfortunately, have the duty of working with the family through the arrangements and through the insurance."

Fund For Officer's Family

The 100 Club is accepting donations to its Survivor's Fund, which provides benefits to the dependents of peace officers and firefighters killed or injured in the line of duty.

Donations can be sent to the following address:

100 Club Survivor's Fund
1233 W. Loop S., Suite 1250
Houston, TX 77027

Donations can also be made online at www.the100club.org or over the phone at 713-952-0100.