Brewster County rancher and board member of the Brewster County Groundwater Conservation District William Thomas (“Tom”) Beard III has been charge with felony assault of a public official in connection with his May 14 arrest for criminal trespass at the Pumpco, Inc. staging area near Alpine.
According to documents obtained by the Gazette under the Texas Public Information Act, Beard is charged with assaulting Mauricio V. Cordova of the Brewster County Sheriff’s Office while being arrested for a Class A misdemeanor of criminal trespass with a deadly weapon.
According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause For Arrest, Cordova wrote, in part, “Beard was asked to leave several time [sic] by Deputy McIntyre, who had been at the site for over two hours. As I arrived there was a small crowd of several onlookers that are against Pumpco in building a gas pipe line in Brewster County. Beard was behind the property line when he decided to step over the boundary of the property, attempting to get into his personal vehicle. Deputy McIntyre asked Beard to stop and he did not. Deputy McIntyre asked Beard to stop and he did not. Deputy McIntyre asked Bread to place his hands behind his back to arrest him. Beard started to comply and Deputy McIntyre managed to get one cuff around his left wrist. Deputy McIntyre asked Beard to stop moving, Beard then froze up and refused to place his right arm to his back. I stepped in and grabbed Beards [sic] arms [sic] and forced it back so that Deputy McIntyre could cuff him. While doing this Beard turned at me and used his right foot to stomp on my foot twice with his heel and sole of his cowboy boots. I remained until Deputy McIntyre affected the arrest and I stepped away. The heel of Beard’s boot did cause some pain to my right foot. Beard was advised he would be charged for the assault on me.”
Beard has been charged with “Felony 3 Assault on a Public Servant, DPS Code 13990063 Code and Section: PC 22.01 (b) (1). “Beard is also charged with a Class A misdemeanor for the trespass charge
While Beard was being arrested, onlooker Suzainne Bailey of Alpine asked Gazette reporter John Waters, “Is [Beard] kicking him [the deputy]?”
“No, I think [Beard] is stepping on his [Cordova’s] foot,” responded this reporter.
Beard also yelled an obscenity at the deputies during the arrest.
Brewster County Sheriff Ronny Dodson contacted Waters and confirmed Beard does have a permit to carry a concealed weapon, and had a handgun while being arrested.
Beard is being represented by Alpine lawyer Liz Rogers.
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