Murder suspect pushed woman out of car before deadly Dallas PD pursuit in Red Oak: Affidavit

An arrest affidavit shows Dallas Police officers initiated a high-speed pursuit only after a known capital murder suspect pushed a woman out of an SUV and onto Interstate 35E before speeding away.

The arrest affidavit for 29-year-old Gabriel Cerna also sheds new light on decisions officers made before the pursuit started.

The chase ended when Cerna slammed into another car from behind, killing Anthony Welch and severely injuring his wife Dee Baker in Red Oak.

Cerna, charged with capital murder, aggravated robbery and evading arrest with a vehicle, was booked into the Dallas County jail on January 24 on a $2.09 million bond after being released from the hospital.

According to arresting officers, Dallas PD unmarked units started following the SUV Cerna was a passenger in leaving a house on Clarendon Drive before getting on I-35E southbound.

The report adds officers waited until they had an Air-1 helicopter overhead before marked units stopped the SUV southbound on I-35, near Glenn Heights.

That’s when officers saw Cerna move from the passenger to the driver’s seat, and "forcefully" push a woman out of the car and onto the freeway pavement, according to the affidavit.

Randall Blankenbaker, retired assistant chief with Dallas Police, wrote the vehicle pursuit policy and oversaw its utilization for eleven years before retiring in 2017.

He says officers must consider several factors before initiating a high-speed pursuit, including whether probable cause exists a suspect has committed, or will commit a violent felony.

“When he pushed the woman out and put her in danger, now you’ve got cause to believe not only is he a violent felon but someone who poses a current and continuing risk to the public,” Blankenbaker told NBC 5.

“He showed it to you.”

Other pre-pursuit considerations include time of day, weather, traffic on a roadway and what vehicle an officer is in.  Pursuits on motorcycles are not allowed, for example, Blankenbaker added.

Once Cerna, already wanted for capital murder, sped away from the felony arrest stop, a 2.7-mile pursuit ended when Cerna lost control near the Red Oak Road exit and struck the car Welch was driving from behind, killing the father, grandfather and husband.

Earlier this week, an attorney told NBC 5 the family is pursuing legal action against the city as a result of the pursuit and crash.

As for the woman pushed out of the car, she was checked out by paramedics and didn’t require further medical attention before being arrested.

Kristina Urquidimora, 32, was charged with hindering the arrest of a felon. Detectives say Urquidimora was aware Cerna was wanted for murder before the day of the deadly chase.

Urquidimora is in the Dallas County jail on a $225,000 bond.