Criminal Defense

A Denton law enforcement officer was recently injured at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital while guarding an inmate who was also a patient at the hospital. The event occurred when the inmate attempted to run out of the hospital room when part of the inmate’s restraint system was removed. When the law enforcement officer approached the inmate, the officer fell and struck his face on part of a window. Law enforcement later caught the inmate on hospital property and charged him with failure to identify as a fugitive and escape resulting in bodily injury, which is classified as a first degree felony in the state of Texas. The inmate was initially arrested on a charge of possession of a controlled substance between 4 and 200 grams. The inmate also had three outstanding warrants in Denton County for theft of a firearm. The inmate is currently being held at the Denton County Jail.

Escape resulting in bodily injury in the state of Texas is grouped into several crimes that generally relate to actions that work against the government’s processes. The penalties associated with this offense can be particularly serious, which is why it is important that anyone facing these charges seeks the help of a criminal defense attorney.

Situations in Which Escape Charges Arise

A man in the Denton area was recently found sitting in the Mack Park Apartments parking lot in a vehicle with a small vial of cocaine, used syringes, and metal spoons. Someone first reported the man passed out in a car with a syringe in his hand. After law enforcement arrived, the man was found smoking a cigarette with a syringe in plain view. When law enforcement explained why they had contacted the man, the man responded by handing over a container with a pipe that had traces of marijuana residue. Law enforcement officers eventually requested that the man place his hands on the steering wheel. After the man left the vehicle, law enforcement uncovered a scale, grinder, syringes, and a powder substance that was later determined to be cocaine. At the Denton City Jail, the man was charged with possession of a controlled substance between one and four grams.

Possessing and distributing marijuana is illegal under Texas law, beginning with the state’s 1919 ban on the possession of marijuana. As a result, people who are charged with marijuana-related offenses in the state of Texas should understand the various laws regarding the drug in the state. It is also important to remember that if you are charged with the violation of one of these laws, you should obtain the assistance of a skilled criminal defense attorney.