The city of Houston has been shaken by a recent act of violence that left Harris County Deputy Deteryon Fontonet, injured from a shooting incident. D'Anthony Simms Coleman, 23, is at the center of this crime, facing charges of first-degree felony aggravated assault of a peace officer, as stated in Click2Houston. The confrontation stemmed from Coleman's alleged involvement in robberies at two Academy Sports and Outdoors stores, after which he reportedly shot Fontonet in the face during a subsequent car chase that ended in Spring.
After the chase, where Coleman refused to pull over, he engaged in a shootout with Deputy Fontonet before fleeing into a relative's home. As per the reports, the five-minute court appearance on Monday saw the judge lay out Coleman’s bond conditions, including no contact with law enforcement, a ban on weapon possession, as well as restrictions on consuming drugs or alcohol, and the requirement of an ankle monitor if bond is posted. Coleman's bond is set at $150,000, noted in the courtroom coverage by KPRC2's Re'Chelle Turner.
In a separate development, the suspect, Coleman, has confessed to the attempted murder of Deputy Fontonet and multiple robbery offenses, this news coming through a Hoodline report. In the aftermath of the shooting, Deputy Fontonet is at home recovering with bullet fragments in three different locations in his body, and the nature of his upcoming medical procedures to address these injuries has yet to be determined.
Constable Mark Herman, reflecting on the incident, voiced his relief that the deputy's injuries were not fatal, "The good Lord was looking out for our deputy," he said. The suspect's relatives, upon his capture, conveyed their gratitude to the deputies for the non-lethal resolution of his detainment, according to Herman. In the heat of the confrontation, where Fontonet was shot after Coleman refused to surrender, Fontonet returned fire, although, the specific number of rounds fired remains unclear.
With Fontonet expected to fully recover and requiring facial surgery due to the bullet wound, Herman's sentiments and the family's thanks to law enforcement, highlight a community grappling, with a mix of thankfulness and the harsh realities of violence that erupted on the streets of their city. Coleman remains in custody with his next court date yet to be announced.
