A deputy-involved shooting in San Antonio ended in the arrest of a man identified as Joshua Ryan Garcia, 34, currently facing multiple felony charges. Following a high-speed chase involving a stolen vehicle, Garcia was shot by a deputy from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) last Saturday night. The suspect sustained non-life-threatening injuries and has since been released from the hospital and booked into the Bexar County Jail.
Garcia is charged with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Evading Arrest with a Motor Vehicle, alongside other out-of-county warrants. According to FOX San Antonio, these charges include Terroristic Threat and Possession of Marijuana, among others. Sheriff Javier Salazar noted that Garcia is a registered sex offender with a history involving aggravated sexual assault of a child. The high-speed pursuit, confirmed through dash cam and body cam video, lasted for about one to two minutes. The BCSO deputy, with approximately a year of service, attempted to pull Garcia over after an alert from his license plate scanner.
During the encounter, which occurred on the 7600 block of Dove Drive, Garcia allegedly drove the vehicle towards the deputy after attempting a U-turn at a dead end. Salazar said in a statement obtained by KENS 5, “It appears that the suspect was intending to get away.” The deputy fired three to four shots, striking Garcia several times following what appears to be an aggressive maneuver by the suspect.
The woman who was a passenger in the vehicle at the time sustained minor injuries from the crash that ensued after the deputy opened fire. Salazar confirmed that she would not face charges unless there were warrants for her arrest found in the aftermath. As for the deputy involved in the incident, they have been placed on administrative duty while an internal investigation into the shooting takes place.
