Police report shares new details following arrest of Brazos County elected official

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – An arrest report filed by Bryan police is providing more information into the weekend arrest of an elected Brazos County official.

On Saturday morning, police were called to Brazos County District Clerk Gabriel Garcia’s home they received a call from his ex-girlfriend, Maria Ramirez.

Ramirez claimed Garcia shoved her twice during an argument that turned physical outside the home around 4 a.m., according to the report.

Garcia told police the two were at a restaurant earlier in the night and got into an argument, and he returned to his home without her.

The report says Ramirez showed up at the home, went into the house, and confronted Garcia about the issues they were having in their on-and-off relationship for the past year.

Garcia says they went outside and that’s when Ramirez first struck him in the head. He told police he asked Ramirez to leave his property multiple times, and said he pushed her away in an effort to get back into his home.

Police noted both Garcia and Ramirez had physical injuries and both were arrested and taken to the Brazos County Detention Center and charged with assault causing bodily injury- family violence. Both were released later on Saturday on bonds of $5,000 each.

Cameron Reynolds, an attorney with the James, Reynolds, Spiegelhauer & Ask law firm, shared this statement with KBTX on Sunday evening:

“I have known Gabriel Garcia for over forty years. I am very proud to represent Gabriel. Gabriel is a good man, public servant, and community leader. On the night in question, Mr. Garcia was at his home in bed when an uninvited visitor who had been drinking at a local bar showed up. The visitor struck Mr. Garcia in the back of his head when he tried to escort her off of his property. The police were called and Mr. Garcia fully cooperated with their investigation. The police made the decision to arrest both Gabriel and the uninvited visitor. We fully intend to clear Mr. Garcia’s good name.”

The 56-year-old’s status as District Clerk with the county isn’t clear but Brazos County Judge Duane Peters released the following statement on Saturday afternoon:

“Brazos County officials are aware of the arrest of District Clerk Gabriel Garcia. A charge against an elected official is deeply concerning, but as this is a legal matter, we cannot comment on any details at this time. The district clerk’s office is fully staffed and will continue to provide professional customer service. We will provide further information as it is available.”

Garcia was re-elected to his position as Brazos County District Clerk in 2022.

The district clerk is elected to a four-year term in a countywide election and his office has the responsibility of filing, docketing, and keeping all paperwork and documents concerned with felony criminal cases, misdemeanor cases, family cases, juvenile cases, tax cases, and civil cases of more than $500. The district clerk’s office also collects fees, fines, and court costs, and manages all funds held in litigation for these cases.