Bastrop Deputy Shooting Suspect Arrested: Sheriff

BASTROP COUNTY, TX — Authorities have arrested the suspect police say shot a Bastrop County Sheriff's Office deputy late Sunday night, Bastrop County Sheriff Maurice Cook confirmed to Patch on Monday afternoon.

Police arrested Michael Stark, 33 of Smithville, just before noon Monday to conclude a manhunt that involved the Bastrop County Sheriff's Office, Texas Department of Safety and other agencies, Cook said. The arrest occurred less than a mile from the original shooting, where Stark was found walking along Cool Water Drive.

Stark is accused of shooting deputy Sawyer Wilson three times when Wilson confronted him about an outstanding warrant for a parole violation after approaching his truck during a criminal mischief investigation near a gas station at Highway 95 and LBA Drive in north Bastrop. The outstanding warrant was discovered after Wilson looked up information given to him by Stark.

Wilson had identified Stark's dark-colored pickup truck with a mattress in the back that was of interest in a criminal mischief call made from nearby LBA, Cook told reporters at a news conference Monday afternoon.

Wilson was shot three times, two shots to the chest and back were stopped by a bulletproof vest, but another shot shattered Wilson's arm. Wilson had surgery to repair his arm with pins and plates, and doctors are hopeful he won't suffer nerve damage. He will likely be in the hospital for four or five days. The bulletproof vest likely saved Wilson's life, Cook said.

Stark escaped into a heavily wooded area, and Wilson was treated by two women who had been receiving a ride in the back of Stark's truck. The two women are unrelated to the investigation, according to Cook.

Stark has 25 prior arrests and four outstanding charges, according to authorities. He is currently in jail on four prior charges of possession of cocaine, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, possessing a prohibited weapon and evading arrest or detention with a vehicle. He has not yet been charged in the shooting, but charges are likely and could include attempted murder, according to Cook. Bonds totaling $2 million were revoked on the four prior charges.

There is no timeline on when charges will be filed, Cook said.

It is not believed Stark was at the scene of the criminal mischief investigation as police saw another dark-colored pickup with a mattress in the back which more closely matched the description was seen on surveillance video from the scene of the shooting, according to Cook.

"What are the odds of that?" Cook asked the pool of reporters.