A Galveston County Sheriff's Office deputy has been fired after a video surfaced showing his marked patrol vehicle tailgating another car at an extremely close distance and impeding traffic. The footage, recorded Saturday, September 19, 2026, circulated online before agency leadership reviewed it and took action within days.
The video showed the deputy driving the marked patrol vehicle while tailgating another vehicle at close range and impeding traffic, according to the sheriff's office's own account, as reported by Houston Public Media. Sheriff Jimmy Fullen said the conduct captured on video was inappropriate, unacceptable and inconsistent with the standards his office expects of deputies, and he said the behavior will not be tolerated. The sheriff's office has not named the deputy shown in the footage.
Sheriff Says Trust Is on the Line
Speaking Monday, September 21, 2026, Sheriff Fullen said deputies are required to operate department vehicles safely and professionally whether they are on or off duty, stressing that the public places its trust in deputies every day, per KHOU 11. Fullen announced the termination after an internal review of the footage, according to the same report.
Texas law addresses emergency-vehicle operations and traffic rules, including circumstances in which emergency-vehicle operators may exercise statutory privileges, per the Texas Legislature.
What the Law Says About Tailgating and Reckless Driving
Ordinary Texas drivers face real consequences for exactly this kind of behavior. Texas Transportation Code § 545.062 requires drivers to maintain an assured clear distance behind other vehicles based on speed, traffic, and road conditions, with violations punishable as a Class C misdemeanor carrying fines up to $500, according to the Michael Gopin Law Offices. Separately, Texas Transportation Code § 545.401 addresses reckless driving, as detailed by Perrin Law PLLC. Whether any criminal traffic charges will be pursued against the former deputy remains an open question.
F-5 hearings exist under the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, according to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.
A Sheriff Under His Own Scrutiny
The firing comes against the backdrop of Sheriff Fullen's own recent brush with state regulators. In December 2025, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement voted 6-0 to issue a probated six-month suspension of Fullen's peace officer license after an investigation found he had omitted past arrests and employment terminations from his licensing applications, according to the Houston Chronicle. The settlement allowed Fullen, who took office on January 1, 2025, to remain in his post.
The tailgating video also lands during a stretch of heightened scrutiny for the Galveston County Sheriff's Office more broadly. Two separate in-custody deaths occurred within less than a week at the Galveston County Jail, prompting the Galveston County District Attorney's Office to conduct independent investigations with assistance from the Texas Rangers, as Hoodline previously reported on the jail deaths. Separately, a burglary of an unmarked sheriff's office vehicle in Texas City led to the theft of a department-issued .300 Blackout suppressed rifle, a ballistic vest, and a deputy's duty belt, according to Hoodline's earlier coverage of the stolen gear.
Local Precedent for Swift Discipline
Galveston County has seen fast administrative action against officers caught in public misconduct before. In July 2024, former Galveston Police Department officer Jared Rivas was placed on indefinite suspension, the civil service equivalent of termination, and was later indicted following an off-duty encounter at a local apartment complex pool party, according to the Galveston Police Department. That case, like this one, showed local departments moving quickly once video or public complaints drew attention to an officer's conduct, though municipal civil service laws allow officers to appeal indefinite suspensions.
For now, the identity of the fired Galveston County deputy has not been released, and it remains unclear whether prosecutors will pursue reckless driving or other traffic charges related to the incident. Sheriff Fullen's statement made clear the termination was meant to send a signal about the standards his office expects, even as his own department continues to navigate scrutiny on multiple fronts.
