Criminal charges against a man shot multiple times by a Bexar County sheriff’s deputy during a stolen-vehicle chase last summer have been tossed, at least for now.
Court records show the Bexar County District Attorney's Office on Wednesday dismissed the evading and unauthorized-use counts against Joshua Ryan Garcia after a key witness could not be found. The move effectively halts the criminal case nearly a year after the June 21, 2025 confrontation in southeast Bexar County that drew public scrutiny once body-worn camera footage surfaced.
Prosecutors listed a "missing witness" as the official reason for the dismissal, according to KSAT. The dropped charges stemmed from allegations of evading arrest and unauthorized use of a vehicle tied to the June 2025 chase.
What the footage shows
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office released dash- and body-camera footage of the June 21 encounter on the county’s website, accessible through the Bexar County Sheriff's Office page. The video shows a patrol vehicle stop and Deputy Angel Ornelas III firing as the car drives past.
Local reporting indicates Ornelas fired seven shots, striking the driver multiple times before the vehicle crashed and medical crews took Garcia to a hospital, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Authorities said at the time that his injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
Defense pushes back
Garcia's attorney, John Kuntz, has argued that the footage “does not show Garcia posing a threat to the deputy,” a point he has repeated in interviews and court filings, per KSAT. Court documents reviewed by KSAT show Garcia suffered at least three gunshot wounds and was initially booked on evading arrest and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in the wake of the chase.
Why prosecutors dropped the case
On paper, the dismissal comes down to that “missing witness” note in the file. Without a key witness, prosecutors can find themselves with a case that is technically on the books but practically unprovable.
The district attorney’s office did not immediately issue a public statement to reporters about whether the same charges could be refiled if the witness is later located.
Investigations and next steps
Separate from the now-dropped criminal case against Garcia, multiple reviews of the shooting are still in motion. The sheriff's office has said its internal affairs unit, its public integrity unit and the Bexar County District Attorney's civil-rights division are examining the incident, and that Deputy Ornelas was placed on administrative duty during those probes, according to reporting by the Houston Chronicle.
Those internal and civil reviews can continue regardless of what happens on the criminal side, and Wednesday’s dismissal does not settle possible departmental discipline or any civil claims tied to the shooting.
Hoodline previously covered the case when the sheriff's office released the footage and publicly identified Ornelas, at which point he was deputy placed on leave. That earlier report offers additional background for readers following the saga. For now, all eyes are on the DA's office and sheriff's department for any formal statements as the various investigations run their course.
