Hays Country sheriff's deputy indicted on deadly misconduct charge for hospital shooting
Published: Sat, 04/08/23
Hays Country sheriff's deputy indicted on deadly misconduct charge for hospital shooting
High-profile civil rights attorney Ben Crump said that the victim's family is 'relived by the news of this indictment.'
Former Hay County Sheriff's Deputy Isaiah Garcia faces up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.
Shutterstock / Schmidt_Alex
San Antonio Current
By Michael Karlis
on Fri, Apr 7, 2023 at 1:39 pm
A former Hays County sheriff's deputy who allegedly shot and killed an inmate who tried to escape while being treated at a hospital was charged with deadly conduct by a grand jury on Thursday, the Express-News reports.
Then-Deputy Isaiah Garcia was guarding suspect Joshua Wright on Dec. 12 at the Ascension Seton Hays Hospital in Kyle, located 20 minutes south of Austin, when Wright allegedly tried to escape, according to the daily.
Officials with the Hays County Sheriff's Office have said Wright lunged toward dangerous medical tools, prompting Garcia to shoot, according to an earlier Express-News report. However, witnesses at the hospital dispute that claim.
After viewing Garcia's body-cam footage, which hasn't been released to the public, the grand jury indicted the former Hays County Sheriffs deputy on a deadly misconduct charge, the newspaper reports. If convicted, Garcia faces two to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The Hays County Sheriff's Office told the Express-News Garcia is no employed with the agency. Officials there didn't elaborate on whether Garcia resigned or was fired from his post.
"The family of Joshua Wright is relieved by the news of this indictment, as it gets us one step closer to ensuring that former officer Garcia will be held accountable for his deadly actions," high-profile civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who's representing the Wright family, said in an emailed statement. "It is crucial that when officers act violently and against protocol, that they and the departments that train them are held responsible for their actions to ensure that these killings stop happening."
Garcia surrendered to authorities following the indictment and was released on $20,000 bail shortly thereafter, according to the daily.