Attorneys spent the first day of testimony in the trial of a man accused of paralyzing a San Antonio security guard arguing whether the guard had legal authority to search him before the shooting.
Wilmer Vladimir Ruiz Ortega, 30, faces four counts of aggravated assault in connection with the May 4, 2025, shooting outside El Patio Sports Bar on Frio City Road.
Prosecutors allege Ruiz Ortega fired six shots after security guard Jimmy Friesenhahn discovered a weapon in his pants while conducting a pat-down at the bar’s entrance.
Friesenhahn was shot twice in the chest and once in the neck, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. His family has said the gunshot wound to his neck also damaged his vocal cords.
Before jurors heard testimony, the judge held a hearing to determine whether Friesenhahn had legal authority to search Ruiz Ortega.
Friesenhahn, a Marine veteran who now uses a wheelchair, testified during the hearing, answering questions in a low whisper.
Defense attorney Alfonso Otero argued the search was unlawful because, he said, Friesenhahn lacked the authority to work as a security guard. Otero contended Friesenhahn was not employed through a registered security company and also argued the bar did not have a sign informing patrons that firearms were prohibited.
Prosecutor Hank Wilkins countered that private businesses are permitted to hire security guards. He also said a sign posted on the bar’s front door prohibits firearms inside businesses that derive most of their revenue from alcohol sales.
“Whether this is a bar or not, if you have a private business, you can hire guards to make sure no one is bringing guns into your private business,” Wilkins said.
Friesenhahn testified that he has a Level IV security officer license and worked security at the bar for eight years. He said Ruiz Ortega did not object to the search and raised his arms before the pat-down began.
“He was free to stop the pat-down at any time and leave the property,” Friesenhahn said.
Judge Catherine Torres-Stahl denied the defense’s motion to suppress.
According to police, Ruiz Ortega tried to leave the scene in a vehicle, but other security guards detained him until officers arrived.
Ruiz Ortega has remained in the Bexar County Jail since his arrest. Jail records show he is being held under a federal immigration detainer.
Court records show Ruiz Ortega was arrested in 2020 on a charge of driving while intoxicated. The charge was later reduced to misdemeanor obstruction of a highway, and he received deferred adjudication in 2022. His probation was revoked in 2024 after he repeatedly failed to appear in court, and a judge later ordered him to serve 35 days in jail.