Austin Police Officers Indicted On Felony Assault Charges

AUSTIN, TX — A Travis County grand jury on Friday announced the indictment of two officers with the Austin Police Department on felony assault charges tied to an investigation into a violent arrest in March 2019, officials confirmed.

The two officers — Greg Gentry and Chance Bretches — had previously been cleared by the police department, which found no evidence of wrongdoing against them. Both had been engaged in a drug interdiction operation following a complaint of increased drug activity and shooting incidents, the Austin Police Department wrote in an advisory.

In a separate statement, the district attorney's office said the two officers were indicted on Wednesday for the felony offense of aggravated assault by a public servant, serious bodily injury/deadly weapon, a first degree felony.

Related story: Travis County DA To Take Police-Involved Cases To Grand Jury

According to the police department, the officers saw two people who appeared to be engaging in multiple narcotics transactions. One person was taken into custody, according to a police department statement, while the other person, who was suspected to be dealing narcotics, did not comply with officers directions and resisted when officers tried to handcuff him.

"A significant struggle ensued as the officer’s attempted to overcome the suspect’s resistance, resulting in injuries to both the suspect and the officers," the police department wrote in an advisory responding to the dual indictments. The suspect was taken to the hospital for his injuries, the police department wrote.

The police department said the Office of Police Oversight reviewed the incident on April 19, 2019, including video of the incident, with members of the police department's Executive Team. Additionally, the Austin Police Department staffed this case with the former district attorney based on the department’s findings that the officers’ conduct was within policy, officials wrote. Consequently, the department said, the case was not forwarded to the DA’s Civil Rights Division.

"APD respects the role the grand jury holds in the criminal justice process and will continue to cooperate with the District Attorney’s Office as needed on this case," the Austin Police Department wrote. "As with anyone charged with an offense, these officers are presumed innocent unless found guilty through the criminal process. In respect of their right to a fair trial, we will not be commenting further."

Both officers have been placed on administrative duty, according to the police department, and will remain in that status through the conclusion of the criminal proceedings.

In a prepared statement, Travis County District Attorney José Garza thanked his prosecutors who called attention to the case: “With respect to the aggravated assault indictment, I am grateful to the assistant district attorneys who identified potential misconduct and brought it to the Office’s Civil Rights Unit,” Garza said. “Holding law enforcement accountable when they break the law is critical to rebuilding community trust, and also to the safety of our community."