Post by Shuftin on Jan 9, 2007 18:18:28 GMT -5
January 02, 2007
By SHERRY KOONCE
A 21-year-old Longview man died Sunday after he was shot by a Gregg County sheriff's deputy during a suspected DWI traffic stop.
Deputy Roy Nixon was placed on administrative leave after the shooting death of Abel Jaimes Benitez, who was shot about 8 p.m. on FM 1252 near Liberty City in the western portion of Gregg County.
According to a press release issued by the sheriff's department, a confrontation took place after Benitez got out of his vehicle. The sheriff said the shooting followed a short pursuit.
Texas Ranger Ronny Griffith and ATF Agent Larry Smith were called to investigate the shooting.
The results of the investigation will be forwarded to the Gregg County district attorney's office, said Sheriff Maxey Cerliano.
Benitez was taken by ambulance to Laird Hospital in Kilgore, where he was later pronounced dead by Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Talyna Carlson.
"The deputy was placed on administrative leave following the use of deadly force in accordance with the Gregg County Sheriff's Office General Orders Policy," Cerliano said.
Nixon is a 10-year law enforcement officer. He has been a Gregg County sheriff's deputy for about six months. Before that, he served in the Gladewater and Kilgore police departments.
From her home in the 1400 block of FM 1252, 67-year-old Helen Franklin said she heard sirens and then a single gunshot before looking outside to see what had occurred.
"I heard the police car, then it just stopped. My son came out of the kitchen and said something was going on, then I looked outside the window and saw a body lying on the road beside a blue car," Franklin said.
Court records show Benitez had convictions for an Aug. 30 DWI charge and a Nov. 13, 2005, criminal trespass charge. For the DWI offense, Benitez was sentenced to 180 days confinement in county jail and an 18-month probation term.
An autopsy has been ordered in the case.
The shooting death is the second in three years involving a sheriff's deputy. In October 2003, Roger Lee Crossland, a 19-year-old Longview man, died from a single gunshot wound to the head while fighting with officer Mark Polk over a gun. Polk was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing in the case.
www.news-journal.com/news/content/news/stories/01022007Shooting.html
By SHERRY KOONCE
A 21-year-old Longview man died Sunday after he was shot by a Gregg County sheriff's deputy during a suspected DWI traffic stop.
Deputy Roy Nixon was placed on administrative leave after the shooting death of Abel Jaimes Benitez, who was shot about 8 p.m. on FM 1252 near Liberty City in the western portion of Gregg County.
According to a press release issued by the sheriff's department, a confrontation took place after Benitez got out of his vehicle. The sheriff said the shooting followed a short pursuit.
Texas Ranger Ronny Griffith and ATF Agent Larry Smith were called to investigate the shooting.
The results of the investigation will be forwarded to the Gregg County district attorney's office, said Sheriff Maxey Cerliano.
Benitez was taken by ambulance to Laird Hospital in Kilgore, where he was later pronounced dead by Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Talyna Carlson.
"The deputy was placed on administrative leave following the use of deadly force in accordance with the Gregg County Sheriff's Office General Orders Policy," Cerliano said.
Nixon is a 10-year law enforcement officer. He has been a Gregg County sheriff's deputy for about six months. Before that, he served in the Gladewater and Kilgore police departments.
From her home in the 1400 block of FM 1252, 67-year-old Helen Franklin said she heard sirens and then a single gunshot before looking outside to see what had occurred.
"I heard the police car, then it just stopped. My son came out of the kitchen and said something was going on, then I looked outside the window and saw a body lying on the road beside a blue car," Franklin said.
Court records show Benitez had convictions for an Aug. 30 DWI charge and a Nov. 13, 2005, criminal trespass charge. For the DWI offense, Benitez was sentenced to 180 days confinement in county jail and an 18-month probation term.
An autopsy has been ordered in the case.
The shooting death is the second in three years involving a sheriff's deputy. In October 2003, Roger Lee Crossland, a 19-year-old Longview man, died from a single gunshot wound to the head while fighting with officer Mark Polk over a gun. Polk was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing in the case.
www.news-journal.com/news/content/news/stories/01022007Shooting.html