A violent confrontation at a Hill Country RV park has landed a Spring Branch man a 40-year prison sentence, capping a case that left two people injured and rattled a quiet corner of Comal County.
On May 6, 2026, 47-year-old Jason Aaron Vancleave was sentenced in connection with a January 19, 2024, incident at an RV park about 20 miles northwest of New Braunfels. Prosecutors say the chaos started with an argument and ended with a woman being struck in the face and a man bleeding from a cut above his eye after trying to step in.
According to the San Antonio Express‑News, Vancleave was convicted on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of assault family violence with a previous conviction, all stemming from the RV park confrontation. He received a 40-year term on the aggravated assault counts. The two 20-year sentences for the family violence charges will be served at the same time as the 40-year term. The Express‑News reports that the Comal County Criminal District Attorney’s Office provided the prosecution details.
After his arrest, Vancleave did not exactly go quietly, according to the DA’s office, as quoted by the Express‑News. He allegedly banged his head repeatedly against the inside of a patrol vehicle and kicked at the interior, forcing deputies to strap a padded helmet on him so he would not injure himself. Prosecutors also described him as intoxicated and verbally aggressive during the confrontation. Those details, combined with his prior record, were cited when the sentence was handed down.
How the attack unfolded
Prosecutors say the trouble started when Vancleave confronted a woman he had been dating at the RV park. The encounter quickly turned violent. According to authorities, Vancleave struck the woman in the jaw with the stock of a rifle. When a man tried to intervene, prosecutors say Vancleave hurled a pair of pliers that hit the man and caused a laceration above his right eye.
First responders treated both injured people at the scene, and deputies arrested Vancleave at the RV park shortly after the attack, according to prosecutors.
Sentence and record
In arguing for a lengthy sentence, prosecutors highlighted Vancleave’s criminal history, including prior convictions for deadly conduct and unlawful possession of a firearm. They pointed to that record as they pushed the court for a stiff penalty in the RV park case.
For more background on the office that prosecuted the case, the Comal County DA page outlines the Criminal District Attorney’s duties, statistics, and contact information.
What comes next
Vancleave will begin serving his 40-year prison term, with the 20-year family violence sentence running concurrently, according to earlier reporting. It is not yet known whether he will seek an appeal or other post-conviction relief.
