Thread: TX: DWI suspect faces life in prison if convicted

http://www.themonitor.com/onset?id=266& ... ticle.html

DWI suspect faces life in prison if convicted
Jeremy Roebuck
February 21, 2007 - 12:39AM
MISSION — A Mexican national accused of ramming his truck into a state trooper’s patrol vehicle and attacking a city police officer with a plank of wood was set to spend Tuesday night in the Hidalgo County jail after his first court appearance earlier that day.

Jose Garcia Hernandez, 34, was formally charged with evading arrest and aggravated assault of a public servant during his arraignment in Mission municipal court.

He is also expected to face state charges of driving while intoxicated and aggravated assault with a motor vehicle stemming from a police pursuit that landed him, the trooper and the officer in the hospital all with minor injuries, said Lisa Block, an Austin-based spokeswoman with the Texas Department of Public Safety. The names of the injured trooper and officer have not been released.

Guards shuffled Garcia into court Tuesday, still wearing the stained button-down shirt he was arrested in. Although DPS officials had previously identified him as Jose Angel Hernandez, the accused corrected Judge Jonathan Wehrmeister, telling him that his middle name was not Angel.

Wehrmeister set bond at $525,000 for both charges, and told Garcia he could face five years to life in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.

According to DPS officials, Garcia fled from a state trooper who tried to pull him over for speeding along West 4 Mile Line Road early Monday morning. After pretending to pull over, Garcia turned his vehicle around and rammed the trooper’s cruiser, which had already come to a stop, authorities said.

After escaping the wreck on foot, Garcia allegedly attacked a Mission police officer who had joined the chase — first, with a brick and then with a 2x4 — before he was finally arrested near the intersection of Farm-to-Market Road 495 and Inspiration Road.

Tuesday’s city court arraignment stems from the charges involving the Mission police officer.

Local DPS spokesman Trooper Johnny Hernandez could not say on Tuesday when Garcia might be arraigned on the additional state charges involving the trooper.

Poor guy was only trying to make a better life for himself.