Bexar County Sheriff’s Corporal facing murder charges in California

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — A Bexar County Sheriff’s Office corporal is facing murder charges after a fatal hit-and-run crash on a freeway in California.

According to Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, on the night of August 6, 2023, Giovanni Ceja was drunk and behind the wheel of his relative’s car when he hit and killed a man who was putting gas in his car on the side of the road.

Investigators say Ceja took off after the crash, but he also left pieces of the car behind that California investigators would use to identify the car he was in.

The California Highway Patrol traced the car to Ceja’s relative, who cooperated with officers and told them where to find the car.

BCSO says Ceja returned from his vacation to California and reported for work at the county jail.

KSAT-12 reports Ceja has since resigned his position with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.

Ceja is being housed in a neighboring county jail while awaiting extradition to California where he will stand trial on charges of murder, driving under the influence, and hit-and-run resulting in death or injury.

The person Ceja hit and killed, Gilberto Sotelo, is a father of seven from Lake Elsinore, California.

Ceja is the fifth deputy from BCSO to be arrested this year.